Pandemic Inspires Artist to Turn Artificial Fingernails Into Stunning Works of Art

A young Vietnamese nail art expert who had to close down his business during the pandemic, used the time off to develop a stunning new kind of artificial fingernail art.

More: Le Dai Phat, Facebook h/t: odditycentral

Le Dai Phat is recognized as one of the most talented nail artists in Ho Chi Minh City, and looking at his stunning hand-painted designs it’s easy to see why. From celebrity portraits to religion and Vietnamese culture-inspired designs, the 28-year-old artisan can create some truly impressive wearable artworks. But it was a new style he developed while quarantined at home because of Covid that really got people talking about him. Using up to 10 lined-up artificial fingernails, Phat is able to paint entire stories in the greatest of detail.

The Vietnamese artisan has been doing fingernail art for the past four years, and has even opened up his own nail art academy to teach aspiring artists his secrets. But it was only two months ago, when pandemic restrictions were put in place in Ho Chi Minh, and his salon had to close, that he discovered a new fingernail art style.

Le Dai Phat always considered himself a visual storyteller, and the quarantine gave him the time to take that side of him to a new level, using the same artificial fingernails he loved to work with. By aligning 5-10 large nails, he was able to paint beautiful artworks inspired by classic fairytales like The Little Match Girl, or original designs inspired by superheroes or films like Pirates of the Caribbean.