Creative Nail Sculpting as the Future of Competitive Nail Art

Kits Nataliia

Abstract: Against the backdrop of the rapid expansion of the global nail service market, estimated at 23.6 billion US dollars in 2024, nail art exhibits a qualitative evolution: from a utilitarian service to a technology-intensive competitive practice. The study is oriented toward identifying a paradigmatic shift toward complex creative modeling as a key marker of contemporary competitive nail art. Methodologically, the work relies on a mixed-methods design: a systematized literature review on the sociology of aesthetic labor, a content analysis of the regulations and judging criteria of leading international championships (Nailympia, Nailpro), and a case study of the author?s pedagogical model based on original three-dimensional modeling techniques (Quilling, Vitral, 3D Sculpting). The data obtained indicate that mastery of advanced sculptural techniques, integrated into a coherent pedagogical strategy, is the decisive factor for success on the international stage. It is concluded that the trajectory of competitive nail art is determined by a synthesis of artistic virtuosity, innovative materials, and structured educational methodologies, forming a new professional archetype of the practitioner-artist-technologist-educator. The article is addressed to professionals in the nail service industry, championship organizers, educational program developers, and researchers of the sociology of professions and aesthetic labor.

Keywords: creative modeling, competitive nail art, 3D nail modeling, pedagogy in nail art, international championships, quilling technique, vitral technique, professionalization of craft, aesthetic labor, judging criteria

How to Cite?: Kits Nataliia, "Creative Nail Sculpting as the Future of Competitive Nail Art", Volume 14 Issue 10, October 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1023-1027, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR25919184459, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR25919184459