How to Create Star Nail Art

Last Updated: February 5, 2023

Star nail art is a classic, yet fun way to incorporate something interesting into your manicure. You can achieve professional results at home either by drawing stars on your nails freehand or by creating your own nail polish decals. You can also enhance your star manicure by doing things like adding glitter, varying the size of your stars, and placing the stars in different spots on your nails. Try out some star nail art to change up your nail look and master a new nail art skill.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Painting on a Simple Star

1
Gather your materials. Painting simple stars on your nails is much easier than you might think. You just need the right tools to do it. You will need:^{[1]
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- Nail polish in the color(s) of your choice
- Fine tipped nail brush or paintbrush
- Clear topcoat
2
Paint your nails and let them dry. Start by painting your nails in the color(s) of your choice. Consider the colors you will be using for the stars as you choose what color to paint your nails. For example, if you are going with navy blue nails, then choose a lighter color that will show up against the navy blue, such as a lighter shade of blue, white, or yellow.
- Paint on a couple of coats to get good coverage.
- Let the nail polish dry completely before starting on the stars.
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3
Draw an “A” shape. Dip your brush into the nail polish. Then, begin to make an “A” shape on one of your nails. This will be the base of your first star.^{[2]
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- Be sure to leave room on the sides of the “A” shape to draw the arms of the star.
- Don’t worry if the shape is imperfect. You can always go over it later to touch it up.
4
Add a line through the center. To create the arms of the star, paint a line through the center of the “A” shape horizontally. There should be two arms extending from either side of the “A” shape.^{[3]
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- Try to ensure that the arms are about the same length as the legs and head of the star. Don’t make them too long.
5
Criss cross the star going towards the bottom legs. To fill in the remaining areas and complete the star, paint a line from the tip of one arm to the tip of the opposite leg. Then repeat on the other side. These two lines will cross each other and finish the star’s legs and arms.^{[4]
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- This will complete your first star. Make as many others as you like on the same nail and on other nails.
6
Let the nail polish dry and fill in any gaps. After you complete the first star, let it dry completely before doing anything else to it. Then, if necessary, you can fill in any gaps or make corrections to the star.^{[5]
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- For example, if there are any spots with less nail polish than others, you could go over them. Or, if there is a leg that is shorter than the other one or a little crooked, then you could correct it.
7
Finish with a topcoat. To keep your stars around for as long as possible, add a layer of topcoat to your nails. This will also help to prevent chipping and give your nails a shiny finish. Let the topcoat dry completely before doing anything that might smudge your nail polish.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using a Decorative Hole Punch

1
Gather your materials. You can make your own nail art stars to apply to your nails if you don’t fancy freehand nail art. To do this, you will need:^{[6]
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- Nail polish in the color(s) of your choice
- Waxed paper
- Decorative star hole punch
- Clear topcoat
2
Paint your nails. Begin by painting all of your nails in the color(s) of your choice. Do a couple of coats to ensure an even finish and allow the nail polish to dry completely.^{[7]
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- Be sure to consider the color(s) you plan to use for the stars. It is best to choose a contrasting color so that the stars will be visible. For example, you could do black nails with white stars, red nails with light blue stars, or purple nails with yellow stars.
3
Paint an area of the waxed paper. You will need to create a thick layer of nail polish to ensure that the star shapes will hold up when you peel them away from the paper. Do three coats and allow the paint to completely dry after each coat.^{[8]
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- To ensure that the nail polish is completely dry, you might want to let it sit overnight, or at least for a few hours.
4
Punch out stars after the paint dries. Once the paint has dried, use the decorative hole punch to punch out some stars. Punch out as many as you want to apply to your nails.^{[9]
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- Before you apply the stars to your nails, you will need to peel them away from the waxed paper. Do this carefully to avoid ripping the nail polish shape. If the stars seem flimsy, then you might need to use more nail polish layers next time.
5
Apply a layer of clear topcoat and press on stars. To apply the stars, paint over your nails with a layer of clear topcoat. Then, gently press the star onto your nail where you want it to go. After you finish applying all of the stars, paint over your nails with another layer of clear topcoat and let them dry completely.^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Enhancing Your Stars

1
Add glitter. Adding a touch of glitter to your stars can also help to enhance them. Try painting some glitter nail polish over a finished star shape, or apply glitter nail polish over your entire nail.
- Choose a glitter that will go well with your nail polish. For example, silver might look good with blue nails and white stars, or gold glitter might look nice with green nails with gold stars.
2
Create different sized stars. Drawing a few different sized stars on each nail is another way to add interest to your star nail art. Try drawing one large star and two smaller ones or vice versa.^{[11]
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- You can vary the stars between nails as well. For example, you could do a large star on each of your ring fingers and then do smaller stars on the rest of your fingers.
3
Draw a shooting star. You can transform a star into a shooting star by adding a few swoops of nail polish behind it. Try using a couple of different colors or a glittery nail polish to get a shooting star effect.
- To turn a regular star into a shooting star, use the paint brush to paint on a few arching lines extending from one side of the star. This will look best with a smaller star that has some room next to it for the arching lines.
4
Place a star on the edge or corner of your nails. Your stars do not need to be completely visible on your nails either. You can start a star near the edge or corner of your nail and just draw as much of it as you can.
- Drawing stars this way works best for larger sized stars. Try painting two larger sized stars on one side of your nail, or cut a star shape in half and place it near the edge or tip of your nail.