I have to admit, when I sat down to start this manicure, Shark Week was the last thing on my mind.  In fact, I really don’t even like Shark Week – and I definitely don’t like sharks.  My goal was to sit down and create a DIY chalkboard nail art tutorial – but after a conversation about the upcoming Shark Week, I realized that now is a better time than any to show off your love (or hate?) for these underwater creatures.  Planning on embracing the feeding frenzy that is Shark Week? Read on to rock this shark-inspired manicure!

As I said, my initial goal was to create a DIY chalkboard nail art tutorial.  No worries – I’ll make sure I get to that as well.  I began with clean nails, a coat of Nail Tek II.

I got a matte black look with two coats of Maybelline’s Onyx Rush and one coat of NYC’s Matte Me Crazy.  Onyx Rush is my favorite black polish because it’s black, but not jet black – it has the faintest hint of a shimmer that keeps it from looking overly dramatic.  If you have a matte black polish, feel free to skip the top coat and go straight for the matte black look!

Make sure to let your nails dry completely before moving on.  You’ll be using a Sharpie to draw out the shark, which puts more pressure than you’d think on your nail.  This pressure will mess up you’re manicure if it’s not totally dry!  I have used Sharpie before, and it’s a great way to get a clean nail art look.

Begin creating your shark on each ring finger and thumb by taking a silver Sharpie and drawing an almost egg shape.  Fill it in completely.

I used a black Sharpie to add in little eyes towards the top of my shark.

To create the mouth, feel free to use a red Sharpie if you have one.  I didn’t, so I used China Glaze’s Poinsettia.  Paint or draw out a second, smaller egg shape on top of your Shark’s body.

Make your shark come alive by adding the teeth! I used Sally Hansen’s Nail Art Pen in White to outline the red oval and draw in spiky teeth.

Wait a while before adding a top coat.  Sharpie is a little tricky when it comes to smudging from a top coat, so be patient.  I used NYC’s Matte Me Crazy again as a final top coat to keep the matte look!

What do you think of this Shark Week-themed manicure?