Animal prints have become a staple in fashion, adding a fun and fierce flair to any look.
Recently, animal prints have clawed their way onto nails as well, taking nail art to stylish new heights.
Animal print nail designs allow you to unleash your inner fashionista. They are the perfect way to show off your wild side in a subtle yet eye-catching way.
This article will explore 13 chic ways to wear animal print nail designs so you can go wild with your next manicure. We’ll discuss popular print trends and tips for recreating them yourself or at the salon. Let’s take a walk on the wild side!
Leopard Print
No animal print is more iconic than the bold leopard print. These spots have been prowling the fashion world for decades and have recently pounced onto nails too. Leopard print nail designs are great for creating a manicure that’s both glamorous and a little dangerous. They’re timeless yet trendy prints that will unleven the most basic outfits.
For a straightforward leopard print design, paint a base coat on all nails first. Then use a nail art brush to paint random black spots in varied sizes over a beige or nude nail polish. Cover about 50-60% of the nail surface for the most authentic look. You can add metallic gold, rose gold or silver spots for extra flair. For an abstract take, make spots more geometric or diluted with white.
Another easy leopard print option is nail wraps. Apply these pre-printed, pressure-sensitive vinyls over your base color for instant pattern. Nail wraps offer intricate designs that would be difficult to recreate freehand. They come in solids or prints ranging from basic black and tan leopard to pastel or neon color combos.
Zebra Print
What could be more wild than zebra print nails? These high-contrast black and white stripes evoke Safari vibes, perfect for exotic nail art. Like leopard prints, zebras first stampeded down fashion runways in the 1950s and have thundered back into popularity.
The most realistic zebra nail design uses fine parallel stripes. Paint alternating black and white vertical lines across each nail using a thin nail art brush. Make stripes closer together for a dense pattern or further apart for a blurred zebra look. For a modern twist, use negative space to form zebra stripes. Paint on black horizontal stripes first, leaving equal spacing between them. Then fill in the gaps with white polish.
For graphic zebra stripes, apply strips of painter’s tape on nude nails first. Paint black polish over the tape, remove it and fill the empty stripes with white. Metallic gold, silver or rainbow colors also make trendy zebra nail designs. Consider painting just your ring finger or accent nails with these wild stripes to make them stand out.
Snake Print
Slither into style with snake print nails! Snake patterns create eye-catching texture and movement perfect for a hypnotizing manicure. Looks range from literal representations to abstract interpretations of rippling scales.
For a realistic 3D snake print, first paint nails in a solid background color like black, white, tan or light pink. Use a toothpick to dot on black and gray polish, slowly pulling downward to create a smeared triangle scale effect. Add dimension by topping scales with glossy clear polish for a smooth, wet finish.
For a more graphic style, paint alternating segments of ivory, tan, brown and black polish across each nail to mimic snakeskin. Make scales wider or narrower depending on how defined you want the pattern. You can also splatter different colored polishes on diagonally to evoke abstract snake textures. Metallic nail polishes in gold, rose gold and silver shimmer like real snakeskin too.
Cow Print
Moo-ve over ordinary nails, cow print is here! Black and white cow spots add quirky flair perfect for ranch lovers or country gals. As an iconic staple, cow print comes in many forms.
For a black-and-white cow print manicure, first paint all nails white. Then use a stippling brush or sponge gently pounce black polish onto the tips and base of nails, leaving a strip of white down the center. The uneven black spots mimic cow markings. You can also paint black bullseye circles instead of spots for a Southwestern vibe.
For a colorful cow print design, paint each nail a different pastel base like pink, purple, yellow or blue. Add black cow spots on top using a detail brush. These bright cow nails are super fun and cheery. You can also paint white polka dots onto black nails for an inverse cow look. Thin slices of painter’s tape help create clean polka dots too.
For glossy cow print nails, apply cow print press-on nails or nail stickers over a coordinating base color. These instant nail prints range from black and white to vivid colors. They offer effortless cow flair compared to recreating the pattern yourself.
Cheetah Print
Unleash your inner wild cat with fun and ferocious cheetah print nails. Cheetah patterns feature more spaced out black spots compared to dense leopard prints for a camouflage look. They range from neutral earth tones to pops of color and glam metallics.
For natural looking cheetah nails, paint a nude or tan base color first. Then use a detail brush to paint slightly elongated black spots in random sizes and orientations across tips. Leave more negative space around spots compared to leopard prints. For a colorful cheetah pattern, paint a bright base like yellow or teal then add black spots.
Metallic cheetah prints are also on trend. Paint a silver, gold or rose gold base on all nails. Use a black polish to create abstract cheetah textures with smaller dabs for spots and longer brush strokes for stripes. The dark accents make the metallic base color pop. For easy application, use cheetah print press-on nails or nail stickers. The effortless prints look like you spent time painting them.
Tiger Print
Unleash your inner tiger with bold striped nail designs. Sophisticated black and orange tiger stripes are classic, but colored variations like blue, green, red or white are trending too.
Paint all nails orange first, then use a detail brush to paint on vertical black stripes of varying widths. For a retro spin, paint rounded stripes instead of pointed. Leave a bit of orange showing between stripes for a blended tiger look instead of solid black. For a more abstract tiger pattern, use a toothpick to drag black polish through orange for smudged streaks.
You can also reverse the color pattern. Paint black nail polish first, then brush on orange vertical stripes in different widths. Use painter’s tape to create clean stripes if desired. For fun bright tiger nails, swap orange with a vivid color like red, green or cobalt blue.
Giraffe Print
Giraffe print nails are wildly cute! Who can resist these sleek spotted designs? Neutral brown and black polka dots evoke natural giraffes while colorful variations add spunky style.
For classic giraffe nails, paint a neutral base like nude, tan, black or white onto all nails first. Then use a dotting tool to punch on rustic brown spots in random sizes. Cover about 50-60% of each nail for a realistic giraffe pattern. For extra dimension, top some dots with a shiny topcoat so they look raised.
Jazz up ordinary giraffe nails with fun colors! Paint a pastel yellow, blue, green or purple as the base. Add coordinating brighter spots, like yellow on purple. For a neon giraffe pattern, paint black nails first then top with bright polka dots. You can also paint white outlines around dots to make them pop. Stick-on giraffe print nail decals offer the most vibrant and detailed spotted designs.
Animal Skin Mix
Why choose just one animal print when you can rock them all? Mixed animal prints create cool textures and patterns for bold nail designs. Combining three or more animal prints creates a layerd, eclectic look.
Start by painting each nail a different animal print like zebra, leopard, snake and giraffe patterns. Use alternating polish colors to complement each design. For example, paint zebra stripes on a white base and leopard spots over black.
You can also layer mixed prints on one nail. Paint zebra stripes on an accent nail first as the base. Then add leopard or snake prints on top using contrasting polish colors. This dynamic layered look blends multiple animal motifs into one nail design.
For more cohesion across all nails, paint one animal print on all as the base pattern. Leopard and zebra work best. Then use nail art tools to add a second print on each nail in a contrasting polish shade. This helps tie the mix together.
Modern Animal Print Interpretations
Animal prints don’t have to mimic the real thing. Modern abstract variations use the essence of different prints in new ways. Reflect animal themes with colors, textures and shapes instead of literal prints.
Try painting sand-colored nails first for a neutral base. Use a detail brush dipped in black polish to paint abstract stripes, spots and scales to reflect zebra, leopard and snake textures. You can cover full nails or just do one accent nail.
For a modern cow print nail design, paint nails in pastel pink, yellow or blue. Use a dotting tool to add raised black oval dots that resemble cow markings without being too literal. For graphic snake or zebra nails, paint chunky angular black and white stripes or zigzags. Ombre animal prints with gradient spotting and striping are also on trend.
3D Animal Print Nails
Take animal print nail art to the next dimension with 3D designs. Use embellishments like studs, charms and rhinestones to add eye-catching effects to animal prints. The raised textures and shimmer create Instagram-worthy feature nails.
Glue metallic gold, silver or black studs onto two accent nails painted with leopard print spots for extra shimmer. Outline zebra striped nails with small black rhinestones using nail glue for a striking contrast. For snake print nails, brush clear polish onto scales then sprinkle holographic glitter over the wet polish. It creates a snazzy speckled reptile look when dry.
You can also apply small animal charms onto one or two nails to tie designs together. Miniature zebra, leopard, tiger or snake charms blend right into painted prints. The playful 3D embellishments transform ordinary animal prints into fierce feature nails.
Abstract Animal Nail Art
For fashion-forward nail designs, incorporate abstract animal themes and motifs into colorful artwork. Use animal print textures as graphic elements instead of literal reproductions.
Paint a coat of black polish as the base first. Then use a white nail art polish to paint abstract zebra stripes on accent nails. Make them wavy or zigzagged instead of straight. You can also paint semi-circles to create a modern snake or leopard pattern.
For artsy animal nail art, paint watercolor-style backgrounds on each nail using orange, yellow, red and blue polish. While the polish is still wet, use a toothpick to drag black polish through it. This creates abstract smudged animal prints and textures once dry.
On cheetah print nails, paint random black cheetah spots over the tips first. Then use a dotting tool to add yellow, white and orange dots onto the spots. This colorful speckled design mimics a cheetah’s eye without directly copying its print.
Minimalist Animal Prints
The minimalist nail art trend is roaring onto the scene! Simplified animal prints focus on clean lines, geometric shapes and sparse detailing for an elegant look. Less is more with these refined takes on wild nail art.
For minimalist leopard nails, paint your nails black first. Use an angled brush dipped in gold metallic polish to paint on minimal triangular leopard spots on accent nails. The sleek gold pops against the black for understated glamour. You can also paint thin white zebra-esque stripes over a nude base color.
For abstract minimalist animal prints, paint alternating nude and black horizontal bands on nails to create blurred zebra or tiger stripes. Make lines thinner and more diluted for sheer animal essence without overwhelming details.
On one accent nail, paint three slim diagonal gray lines to evoke snake skin. You can also paint a French tip manicure with black polka dots only at the tips for a modern twist. Leave over 90% of the nail bare for chic simplicity.
Animal Print Accent Nails
Want to dip your toes into the animal print nail trend without going overboard? Accent nails let you incorporate wild flair in moderation. Paint fierce prints on just 1-2 nails while keeping the rest simple.
For leopard print accent nails, paint a neutral beige or pale pink polish on all fingers except the ring. Paint the ring nail black first, then add brown and bronze leopard spots for a pop. You can also do an accent zebra stripe manicure, with alternating black and silver stripes painted on just the middle or ring fingers against a nude background.
For fun pops of snake print, paint a bright base color like red, yellow or cobalt blue on most nails. Add a snakeskin design in contrasting shades of brown, black and white on your ring and middle nails only.
Cheetah and giraffe prints also make trendy accent nails. Paint black or white polish on main nails, then add playful spots and dots on ring finger and thumb nails only. Keep accent nails in focus by keeping other nails solid.
Glitter Animal Print Nails
What’s wilder than animal prints? Glitter animal prints! Sparkling glitters and iridescent shimmers make animal patterns shine. Glam up your next manicure with these festive nail ideas.
For glitzy leopard nails, paint a clear or nude base first so the glitters really stand out. Add bronze, gold and black glitter leopard spots using a detail brush. Or do glitter zebra nails with alternating sparkly black and silver stripes over a white base. Use striping tape for clean glitter lines if desired.
You can also coat just accent nails in glitter polish for flashy pops of animal print. Paint your index, ring and pinky nails in a creme polish like red or purple. For middle and thumb nails, paint on a dense glitter leopard or zebra pattern. The shimmery accents nails make fun sparkling statements.
For ombre glitter animal nails, apply black polish on nail tips and glitter particles on the base near your cuticles. Gently swirl a dotting tool upwards to blend them together. This gradient glitter effect evokes abstract animal prints and textures for mystical manicures.
Let your inner fashionista run wild with chic animal print nail designs!
They range from neutral earth tones to vivid brights so you can find a look that fits your personal style.
The TOP ideas covered in this article offer stylish ways to incorporate animal motifs into your nails. Paint spots, stripes, scales and textures freehand using nail polish and tools.
Press-on options like nail stickers and transfers offer the easiest application for intricate printed looks. You can also add artful 3D embellishments for extra flair.
Keep it classic or make it modern – the possibilities are endless for rocking animal print nails!
Which fierce animal nail design will you try first? Get creative with these exotic trends and unleash your wild side with every manicure.
