Easy Cute Nail Designs Without Tools

Like to keep your nails short, but have no clue about how to style them? Trust me, this post will be your savior. Who says you can't do nail art on short nails? No matter how small or big the canvas is, art is always possible. That is precisely what makes it art!

Short nails are so much easier to maintain. My nails are quite brittle, so I understand the battle of not being able to grow them out. Even if my nails are short, I like indulging in a bit of nail art. So, if you are interested in the same, keep reading as we guide you through these simple DIY nail arts!

Easy Nail Art Designs For Short Nails

Have a look at the following 60 most trending simple nail art designs for short nails.

Turquoise And Gold Nails
Graffiti Nail Art
Pinstripe Nails
Heart Inception Nail Art
Ruffian Manicure Tutorial
Paint Splatter Nail Art
Monochrome Peek-a-Boo Nail Art
Ombre Nail Art
Geometric & Roses Nail Art Tutorial
Pink Autumnal Nails
Pink And Silver Stripes Nail Art
Colorful Stripes
Half Moon Glitter Manicure
Triangle Nails
Parisian Nails
White And Green Geometric Nails
Pink Yin And Yang
Pink Lace Nail Art
Chevron Nails
Rainbow Tips Nail Art
Glitter Gradient Nails
Glitter French Tips
Gold And Pink Triangle Nail Design
Polka Dot Nails
Color Block Nail Art Manicure
Glitter Fade Nails
Fired Up Triangle Tip
Fizzy Fun
Spring Manicure
Geode Stone Nails
Cross Stitch Manicure
Mix And Match Polka Dots
Faded Floral
Gingham Accent Nail
Robin's Egg
Blue Gradient
Black Out
Dreamcatcher
Once In A Blue Moon
All That Glitters Is Gold
Aesthetically Mismatched
Pink Gl'Amore
Speckled Out
Whoopsy Daisy
Third Time's A Charm
Blackheart
Japanese Cherry Blossoms
Ombre And Glitter
Black And Red Gradient
Vintage Roses
Watermelon Nail Art
Frozen Treat
Wild Flowers
Dark Fantasy
Classic French Manicure
Retro White Pink And Gold
French Toast
Graveyard
Crimson Love Nail Art
World Beyond

1. Turquoise And Gold Nails

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

Get the appearance of beautiful turquoise and gold stones on your nails with this manicure. All that you need is a turquoise polish, a gold polish, and a plastic wrap. After applying the turquoise, apply some of the gold onto a crushed plastic wrap and dab slightly onto your nails to create the desired effect.

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2. Graffiti Nail Art

credit: cosmopolitan.com

Simplicity is style. This gold and black dual tone manicure is quite easy to achieve and doesn't require any special tools. To create this graffiti nail art look, wipe off excess nail polish from the brush and swipe on random stripes onto your black painted nails. Voila – you are done!

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3. Pinstripe Nails

credit: makeup.com

Pinstripes, once upon a time, was synonymous with office. But now, it is being incorporated in everyday outfits with utmost ease. So, why not use it as an inspiration for nail art? This super easy pinstripe nail art design manicure only requires a nail striper in addition to your nail polishes. After painting on the white, with the color of your choice, create thin stripes as shown. If you want to take it up another notch, you can use different colors for different nails, but try and make sure you're using pastel colors to keep it looking aesthetically pleasing.

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4. Heart Inception Nail Art

credit: zuri.in

Spread some love with hearts on your nails. This manicure can be done simply by drawing one heart within another, using different shades of pink. If you ever watched The Powerpuff Girls and remember the credits of the cartoon, you would know what I am talking about!

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5. Ruffian Manicure Tutorial

credit: makeup.com

Doesn't this look both chic and quirky? You can create this look quite quickly! All you need is two nail polish colors of your choice. Use one color to paint your entire nail. With the second color, paint almost all of the nail leaving some space near the cuticle. Finish it off with a top coat and that's it! You are good to go!

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6. Paint Splatter Nail Art

credit: stylezilla.com.au

Bring out the inner artist in you! To create this nail splatter look, you will need a paint brush in addition to the nail colors of your choice. Firstly, you will need to paint your nails white. Then, take a nail color onto a brush and dip in a cup of water. Use your fingers to spray the color on the brush onto your nails. Repeat this for multiple colors so that you achieve the look as seen in the image.

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7. Monochrome Peek-a-Boo Nail Art

credit: blog.lulus.com

Ah, the monochrome! To say that I love anything in monochrome is a massive understatement. These are colors that work for any season and with any trend. You can't go wrong with black and white. All you need to do for this manicure is paint your nails white and outline a curved crescent as shown in the image. Now, fill it in with black polish and finish with a top coat.

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8. Ombre Nail Art

credit: sheknows.com

Ombres are the way to go right now! Hair, apparel, nails – you name it. It's everywhere. So this list would be incomplete without an ombre tutorial, wouldn't it? For this look, you will need to first paint your nails a pale pink. Then, on a makeup sponge, apply colors from blue to purple in gradation, so that when you dab it onto your nails, it will create an ombre effect. Clean off any excess nail polish on your fingers with a Q-tip and finish with a glitter top coat!

Read the most trending post – Ombre Nail Art Tutorials to get more idea on how to do ombre nails.

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9. Geometric & Roses Nail Art Tutorial

credit: divinecaroline.com

Perfect for the spring and summer, this nail art requires a little patience and precision. Using white as a base for all the nails, take some light pink and wipe away the excess with a thin brush. Create small circles gently so that it appears soft against the white base. With the help of striping tape, create random lines so that when painted over an olive nail polish, it results in geometric patterns. Use the same olive polish to create soft leaves for the flowers, and you are done!

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10. Pink Autumnal Nails

Credit: ibeautytutorial.com

Simple and cute, all this manicure requires is a few steps. Starting off with a pastel pink base, with black polish on a nail striper, create one side of a leaf on your ring finger. Then using white polish, do the same for the other side of the leaf. To add a little something, swipe on some silver glitter where the black and white meet as shown in the image. For the rest of the nails, create stripes and polka dots using the same colors.

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11. Pink And Silver Stripes Nail Art

Credit: beautylish.com

For this look, you need to start off with painting your nails in hot pink. Create stripes with the help of tape and paint over it with silver once the hot pink is dry. Use white and silver nail strips and place them onto the nail as shown in the image. You can either do this for all nails, or you can paint a pink and silver glitter gradient as seen above.

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12. Colorful Stripes For Short Nails

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

Getting its inspiration from striped clothing, this manicure is all about the stripes. Start off with a white base and use different sized brushes to create the stripes. If you're not so confident painting free-hand, you can use tape to keep the lines nice and straight.

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13. Half Moon Glitter Manicure For Short Nails

Credit: ispydiy.com

To create this half moon manicure, paint your nails with a nude for the base. After applying the reinforcement stickers near your cuticles, paint your nails with a metallic black. For a glitter effect, use black glitter just on the tips and finish with a top coat.

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14. Triangle Nails

Credit:ibeautytutorial.com

Start off this triangle manicure with a nude base. Once it dries, create triangles with nail stripe stickers as shown in the image. Now, using a small brush, paint each triangle with different colors. Remove the stickers carefully and seal with a top coat. There you have it, a triangle nail art!

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15. Parisian Nails

Credit: sitemodelss.blogspot.in

For this Parisian nail manicure, you will need two polishes, one black and the other a very pastel peach. Paint all the nails pastel peach, except the accent nail. That will need to be painted black. Create polka dots on the accent nail with the peach color. Then, with some black polish on a nail striper, create the Eiffel Tower as shown in the image.

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16. White And Green Geometric Nails

credit: 6.fashionenvie.be

You can recreate these geometric patterns with the help of tape. Paint your nails in white for the base. Then, cut up strips of tape and stick them however you like so that they look like geometrical shapes. Paint over it with the green polish, remove the tape and finish off with a top coat. You may also use multiple shades to add a pop of color!

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17. Pink Yin And Yang

Credit: nails.5wii.com

You've heard of the monochrome Yin and Yang, but have you seen one in pink and black? Well, if not, it's time you try it out! Start off with a hot pink base. Use black polish to create a wave as shown in the image. Dot the black side with pink and the pink side with black. To add a bit of glam, you can apply a glitter top coat.

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18. Pink Lace Nail Art For Short Nails

For this look, begin by painting your nails with two variations of pink. On the lighter pink shade, use a nail striper dipped in white polish to create a checkered pattern. Do this on the outer corner of the nail. Continue to follow the design as shown in the image and you will have yourself a pretty lace nail art! You can paint the other pink nails with polka dots.

Credit: prettysquared.com

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19. Chevron Nails

To recreate this red white and blue chevron look, paint your nails red as a base. Then, place pieces of tape as shown in the image and paint over it with blue. Do the same with white. Slowly peel off and seal the deal with a top coat. It's as easy as that!

[ Read: Chevron Tip Nail Art Tutorial with Pictures ]

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Credit : sheknows.com

20. Rainbow Tips Nail Art

This one is super easy! It'll take hardly any time. Paint you nails white for the base. Use a hair pin or a pointed q-tip or even a toothpick to create small dots at the tips. Use different colors for different nails.

Credit: sheknows.com

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21. Glitter Gradient Nails

Credit: blogger.com

For this look, you will need to first paint you nails a light blue. Then, while the polish is still wet, dust some blue glitter in an ombre fashion. Make sure to seal it with a top coat. That's all! Read more tutorials on Glitter Nail Art Designs.

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22. Glitter French Tips For Short Nails

Credit: stylemotivation.com

I'm pretty sure you've tried doing a French manicure with white tips but have you tried it with glitter tips? If not, what are you waiting for? To achieve this manicure, use black as a base. Once it dries, put some tape on the nails and apply a silver polish at the tip. Remove and seal with a top coat.

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23. Gold And Pink Triangle Nail Design

Credit: she-beautiful.blogspot.in

To create this gold and pink look, start off by painting your nails a hot pink. Create triangles with tape near the cuticles. Paint over it with gold. Carefully remove the tape and you will see the desired effect. Make sure to seal it with a top coat!

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24. Polka Dot Nails

Credit: kouturekiss.com

Polka dots are fun, and most importantly, easy to create! Paint your nails a matte black. Then, on a scrap paper, put a few drops of gold polish. Add some turquoise polish to it. Create swirls with a hair pin and dot it onto the matte black nails. Voila!

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25. Color Block Nail Art Manicure

Credit: kouturekiss.com

This is another one that requires just tape, in addition to the nail polish. Firstly, apply nude as the base color. Stick the tape diagonally, as shown in the image. Now, paint over it with the hot pink. Remove the tape and apply the top coat of your choice.

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26. Glitter Fade Nails

Credit: kouturekiss.com

This is one of my favorites. Glitter fade nail art is simple, pretty, and elegant! You will need a peachy shade and a gold glitter polish for this manicure. Use the peach as the base. Then, apply the gold polish on the ends of the nails as shown. With slightly less glitter on the brush, lightly swipe towards the center of the nail. You can use a nail striper for more precision. Make sure you apply a top coat to make the manicure last longer.

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27. Fired Up Triangle Tip

Credit: kouturekiss.com

Fire at your fingertips! Now you can have flames on your fingers with this manicure. Start off this flame nail art with a yellow base. Then, paint on orange triangles on the yellow base. You can either do this with some tape or free hand if you think you can do it. Do the same with the red polish, but create the triangles smaller than the orange triangle.

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28. Fizzy Fun

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

Doesn't this remind you of pebbles in a pond? For this manicure, you need two different sized dotting tools, but you can also work with pencils and pens. On a dark green-blue base, create multiple dots of turquoise and gold with the tools of your choice. That's it!

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29. Spring Manicure

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

Two colors are better than one in some situations. And, this is definitely one such situation! Place a nail strip in the middle of the nail as seen in the image. Then, using two shades of the similar prime color, paint on each side. Remove the sticker and seal with a top coat.

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30. Geode Stone Nails

Credit:thebeautydepartment.com

This one looks like you have tiny stones for nails! Using white as a base, dilute each shade in water while applying each shade in gradation to create the geode stone effect. That's all!

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31. Cross Stitch Manicure

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

This innovative cross stitch pattern looks quite interesting on nails as a manicure. To create this manicure, create tiny crosses with different colors to make it look like a cross stitch. Keep doing this till you get your desired design.

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32. Mix And Match Polka Dots

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

For this look, you will need three colors. Black, white, and any bright color. In the picture, they have used a turquoise shade. Paint your nails in alternate with these two shades. On the black nails, create two layers of polka dots as shown with a pen or a dotting tool. On the turquoise nail, leave for a millimeter or two, and cover the entire nail with black. In the end, only a hint of the turquoise must peek out.

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33. Faded Floral

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

If you like art and craft, this might be perfect for you! Dilute two or three colors with water to create the water color look. Then, on a white base, make rough blobs with the different colors. Finish with a top coat. It's as easy as that!

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34. Gingham Accent Nail

Make use of that tape! Paint a strip of tape blue using a nail polish. Then, create thin strips and place in a checkered fashion as shown. Finish it off with a top coat.

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

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35. Robin's Egg

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

This is one of the most basic manicures, but it looks very elegant and pretty. Firstly, paint your nails with a turquoise shade. Paint over it with a top coat with big golden specks. Once that is done, it will look like a robin's egg.

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36. Blue Gradient

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

Paint your nails white. On a surface that won't absorb liquid (you can use plastic or metal), add a drop or two of water. To it, add a drop of blue polish. Mix it with a brush and apply it over most of the nail, leaving a few centimeters near the cuticle. Now to a drop of water, add two drops of polish and apply in gradation. Do this again with three or four drops of polish. Finally, apply the polish directly to the tips and you with have yourself a blue gradient nail art!

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37. Black Out

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

An absolute favorite of mine, this all black nail art makes use of matte and gloss. Anything with all black is a total winner for me. There's something about black that exudes power and confidence. So play around with a black polish and a matte top coat!

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38. Dreamcatcher

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

This one requires you to get a little crafty. Paint all your nails, except the accent nail, a periwinkle shade. Paint the accent nail a light brown. Stick a little lace onto the accent nail as shown and go around it with some black string. Attach more string at the bottom and use pastel nail colors for decorating the dreamcatcher. Happy dreaming!

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39. Once In A Blue Moon Short Nail Design For Beginners

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

Using navy blue and silver polishes, create this blue moon manicure with the help of paper reinforcement stickers. This is easy and doesn't require many tools. A good place to start for beginners who want to experiment with nail art.

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40. All That Glitters Is Gold

Credit: thebeautydepartment.com

I know gold can be seen as tacky sometimes, but this tutorial will make your gold nails look anything but tacky! Start off by painting all your nails in a dull gold shade. Then, use a gold glitter polish to paint the accent nail. With a brighter gold, paint the rest of the nails in diagonal with the help of a tape. It's as simple as that!

Here are some more cute nail designs for short nails that will inspire you!

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41. Aesthetically Mismatched

Credit: http://thebeautydepartment.com/2011/08/mismatched/

This cute and aesthetically pleasing manicure is created by using mostly pastel colors. It's all about the pastels these days, and nail art isn't an exception. This manicure requires nail stripers and dotting tools. With the help of these, you can create stripes and the floral pattern on the accent finger as shown. Finish off the other two with a glitter top coat. It looks complicated, but it is, in fact, quite easy!

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42. Pink Gl'Amore

Credit: inkyournail.com

These glam pink and black nails may look difficult to achieve but are quite easy. The use of dual colors and the metallic studs make it look fancy. All you need to do is paint your nails with peach and black, as shown in the image. Decorate them with the help of a nail striper and gold studded stickers.

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43. Speckled Out

Credit: inkyournail.com

This black and white polka dots is so aesthetically pleasing and fun! This may not be the best option for a professional environment, but if your workplace is creative, go for it! Paint your nails with black and white (on alternative nails). Use the opposite colors to create small specks, and there you go!

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44. Whoopsy Daisy

Credit: inkyournail.com

This nail art is perfect for the spring and summer! You will need something to create small dots with. You can use a pen or a dotting tool to get this result. Create five dots so that they connect. Then, top it off with a yellow dot at the center.

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45. Third Time's A Charm

Credit: inkyournail.com

You've probably tried two nail colors, but have you tried three? Go ahead and give it a shot! All that you need to do for this look is create stripes with each color in a different order. It's as simple as that! Try to pick colors from a painting color palette. They are the colors that complement each other well.

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46. Blackheart

This is probably an eye catcher for someone who loves dark colors. I smile sheepishly as I write this because I am a sucker for anything monochrome or dark. Paint a few nails gray, and then for the remaining nails, do a chevron tip and draw a heart. You can use a nail pen or a nail striper for this. You can change up the combination if you like. Going all gray and a heart accent nail would look just as pretty!

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47. Japanese Cherry Blossoms

Credit: instagram.com

Japanese cherry blossoms are a beautiful sight. Everything about them says 'beauty' and 'elegance'. It just so happens that these beauties are not that hard to paint on your nails! Except for the accent nail, paint your nails a carnation pink. With white as a base for the accent nail, use a nail striper and dotting tool to create the look as shown in the image.

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48. Ombre And Glitter

Why pick Ombre or Glitter when you can have the best of both worlds? That's right, Ombre and Glitter in one manicure. Firstly create the ombre effect by dabbing the colors on the nail with a makeup sponge, except for the accent nail. Paint the accent nail in a thick silver glitter polish and seal the other nails with a slight glitter top.

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49. Black And Red Gradient

Black and Red Gradient Nails Design for Short Nails

Image: Instagram

Dark and seductive, this manicure is perfect for Halloween (or every day, if that's what you like!) Create an ombre effect with these two colors on your nails. To make it last longer, seal it off with a top coat.

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50. Vintage Roses

Let's go back to the vintage days shall we? Well, more like the vintage retro days, since we have polka dots in this manicure. This nail art looks so beautiful, and all the colors work together so well! Create monochrome polka dots over the entire nail and add a red rose tip. For an additional 'oomph' factor, finish with a matte top coat.

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51. Watermelon Nail Art For Short Nails

Yum! Doesn't this manicure make you want to splash into a pool and grab some cold watermelon? You can also use tape or a nail striper for the triangle watermelon pieces. For the accent nail, use a deep green for the base and a lighter green to create the lines of the watermelon.

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52. Frozen Treat

I know these look appetizing, but don't bite your nails! You'll need a nail striper and a steady hand to create this look. It requires some patience, but the final look is worth it! Choose colors that reflect ice cream flavors. Follow the design shown in the picture and I'm sure you'll have yourself some delicious looking nails!

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53. Wild Flowers

I love this manicure because it looks like you've spent some time on it, but is in fact quite easy! After painting your nails a pastel blue shade, create stems with a green polish, and tiny strokes along the green lines to create flowers in various shades of pink and purple.

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54. Dark Fantasy

Mermaid or Dragon Scales? You decide. Let your imagination run wild. If like me, you enjoy anything high fantasy, whether it be reading or watching, I know this will intrigue you. You will need to find a stencil that will help you achieve the design that you see in the image.

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55. Classic French Manicure

Need I say anything? This is the classic go-to when you can't think of what to do. It's suitable for all occasions and is neutral. Who says you can't do a French manicure with short nails? Look how pretty it looks? If you needed any more convincing, there you go!

[ Read: How to Do French Manicure at Home? ]

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56. Retro White Pink And Gold

The color combination of this manicure is glamorous! To create this look, create stripes of white and a pink triangle over it on some of the nails. Paint the rest of the nails with a gold glitter polish as shown. It's simple enough and doesn't require any special tools.

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57. French Toast

This one is a twist on a French manicure with polka dots. All you need is something to create the dots! On a brown base, create two small triangles with black polish as seen in the image and create the polka dots. It's as simple as that!

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58. Graveyard

This one is a killer manicure for Halloween! You will need white and black polishes, both in matte. Start off with a black base, and dab on the white polish with a sponge to create a mist effect. Paint on the details as shown in the image with a nail striper and you're ready to hit that Halloween party, or have your own personal party at home!

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59. Crimson Love Nail Art For Short Nails

Jump into this deep red manicure by using a matte crimson shade on a nude base. Paint the ring, thumb, and pinky fingers entirely. Using a nail striper, draw two precise hearts like the ones in the image above. There you go!

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60. World Beyond

Isn't this galaxy manicure just out of this world? It's not as hard as it appears to be. You just need to dab on blue, pink, and purple polishes on a black base with a makeup sponge. Then, make the dots and tiny stars as shown in the image. Seal with a glitter top coat.

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So, here you are, 60 simple short nail art design tutorials for beginners at home. Whether you have short nails or long nails, if you love nail art, go ahead and do it anyway!