Konad 101

Are you new to Konad? Still not sure how this Konad business works? Interested in tips for Konading on a budget?

There are lots of great tutorials out there to help get you started with Konad (including one farther down this page!). I'm definitely not an expert, but in case you're curious about how I Konad, read on for some tips and tricks that I have learned.

The Basics
In order to Konad, you'll need the:

1) Stamper

2) Scraper

3) Base color polish

4) Stamping polish (Since I was stamping cupcakes, I used two stamping colors)

5) Image plate

You'll also need lots of cotton balls and big supply of nail polish remover. It also helps to have a plate holder (you can buy these or, like me, improvise).

I'll take these pieces one at a time.

The Stamper and Scraper
I would suggest you buy a genuine Konad stamper and scraper. I use the double sided stamper (you can buy these as a set at Amazon for about $3.00). The double sided allows you too use one side of the stamper for full nail patterns and to use a smaller end to use for smaller designs or for when you want to carefully place a design.

Base Color Polish
You can use any color for your base color polish. I have found that plain creme colors work best as a base. If your base color has too much shimmer or sparkle, you may not be able to see the stamp clearly.

I'm a fan of pastel bases. They make a pretty backdrop for your stamping. You can buy your polishes one at a time, or use what you have on hand. When I first started using Konad, I didn't have that many plain creme colors, so to get started, I bought a set of Kleancolor Pastels (you can search for them on eBay or buy them for about $1.50/bottle from Amazon).

Stamping Polishes
Konad sells "Special Polish" for stamping, but you don't have to use their polish to get a good result. You can stamp with most polishes. The polishes that tend to stamp the best are those that are very thick and rich in color. Most "fast drying" or "express" formulas will fit the bill.

My favorite set of polishes for stamping are the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polishes. You can buy them at your drug store and use them both as base colors and stamping colors (Konad Special Polishes cannot be used as a base coat).

I do routinely use one bottle of Special Polish - Konad Special Polish in White. Stamping white can be tricky - especially if it's over other colors - and the Special Polish (while a little messy!) stamps crisply and opaquely.

Plates
Konad plates are typically $6.99/each. Amazon usually has alternatives (with customer ratings so you can be sure that the plates are good quality). I particularly love the MASH plates and Bundle Monster sets. You'll find sets of about 10-15 plates for a price that is about $1.00/plate. Now that's a deal! eBay also has great deals and sets sometimes. You can usually find these by typing "stamping nail art plate" as a search phrase.

I store my plates in a binder in plastic sheets for baseball cards (I'll try to make a post on this later). If your plates are all round, a holder for business cards will work as well. If you buy a set of plates, think about how to easy store and access them since some of them may have unfinished edges that can cut your fingers.

Image Plate Holder

So, I often do my Konading on the couch through old episodes of Midsomer Murders. I never bought the image plate holder, but I certainly don't want polish all over my couch. Rifling through my nail stuff, I came across an old package of nail stickers. I flipped the package over, and voila! The raised edges keep the polish off the couch and it's just about the right size.

Tips & Tricks

Buy in sets when you can. You'll save money on plates and polishes and open up your design choices for less.
Keep an notebook. I try out my designs and color combos on paper before stamping them on my nails. Keeping a notebook of patterns I've tried out gives me inspiration for new designs.