Young artist adorns fingertips with Chinese beauty through nail art

The bustling splendor of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," the dignified elegance of "Phoenix Coronet and Embroidered Robe," and the poignant romance of "The Butterfly Lovers"... These cultural symbols, carrying a millennium of Eastern aesthetics, have been ingeniously "worn" onto fingertips. Recently, three sets of wearable nail art pieces, created and designed by Shen Ting, a young Chinese artist, were collected by the International Nail Museum.

A few years ago, Shen worked at a major internet company. She quit without another job lined up and switched fields, launching a startup from scratch. 

Driven by pure passion, she brought traditional Chinese craftsmanship to fingernails, showcasing the originality of Chinese nail art to the world.

Shen showcased the three museum-collected works to reporters and explained her creative process. The flowers in "Phoenix Coronet and Embroidered Robe" were crafted using traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritage technique of filigree inlay. Gold threads as fine as hair were bent into intricate patterns, with each petal taking hours to complete. The embroidered robe section used 3D micro-carving to evoke the splendor of traditional bridal attire. 

Creating "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" was a test of both patience and skill. 

Shen Ting used nail tips as a miniature canvas, selecting ten representative elements from the original painting - such as transportation, commerce, and clothing - and recreated them with exquisite hand-painting techniques on 10 individual nails. "Painting in such a small space requires an extremely steady hand. The slightest mistake means starting all over again."

The highlight of "The Butterfly Lovers" lies in the use of real butterfly specimens, embedded like gemstones. This approach preserves the natural beauty of the butterflies while granting them enduring artistic value. Through the works, Shen not only demonstrates exquisite craftsmanship but also conveys the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture.