This random nail design generator builds a whole look from four parts: a nail shape, a base color, the art on top and a finish. Lock the parts you like and press again for the rest.
Read the full guide
Lock the shape you already have
Press New nail design. The four parts then sit in rows, each with a lock at its end. Shape is the hardest part to change, so lock yours first, then reroll the color, the art and the finish.
Random nail art you can do at home
Dots need only a dotting tool or a toothpick, stripes come out straight with thin tape, and a gradient is dabbed on with a sponge. The lists below say what every design and finish is. For the harder ones, print a sheet of twenty and take it to the salon.
Tips
Want random nail designs for both hands? Lock the base and the finish, then roll a new art for each hand.
A clear top coat forms a hard layer that helps prevent chips, whatever the finish under it.
Questions and answers
Is this a nail design wheel generator?
It does the same job without the wheel: each press spins four lists at once. Lock a row and it stays put while the others spin again.
What nail shapes are in the list?
Almond, pointed, square, ballerina, squoval, round and flared. Squoval is a square with rounded corners, and ballerina is close to a square with tapered sides, also called coffin.
What is a French tip?
A French manicure leaves the nail without a strong base color and paints the tip white, over pink or a sheer shade. On another base color, the tip takes a color that stands out.
What is a half-moon manicure?
Also called an inverse French. A half-moon is painted at the root of the nail in one color, and the rest of the nail in another.
Does it name brands or products?
No. Every line is a shape, a color, a design or a finish in plain words, so you can use the polish you own or describe the look to a nail technician.
pointedLike the almond, but sharper at the point. Also called stiletto.
roundRounded at the end of the nail.
squovalA square with rounded corners, which makes it harder to break.
Straight ends 3
ballerinaClose to the square, but the sides taper toward the end. Also called coffin.
flaredSquare at the base and wider at the tip. Also called duck nails.
squareA straight, square end.
How this list was compiled
The 7 nail shapes described in English Wikipedia's 'Nail art' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_art, section Shapes, read 2026-10-01), each with the line that section gives it, in our own words: almond, stiletto or pointed, square, coffin or ballerina, squoval, rounded, and duck or flare. 'Manicure' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manicure, section Shape) lists the same common shapes and says the squoval is considered sturdy. The page uses the names pointed and ballerina in the result and gives the other name in the line. Nothing is said about how a shape makes a hand look. Licence: own work
Base color: all 30 base colors
Sheer and pale 10
baby blueA pale, soft blue.
butter yellowA pale, creamy yellow.
clearNo color at all: one of the first nail polishes.
dusty roseA muted pink with a little gray in it.
lavenderA pale purple.
milky whiteA soft, cloudy white you can almost see through.
mint greenA pale, cool green.
pale peachA light orange-pink.
sheer beigeA see-through beige close to the color of the nail.
sheer pinkA see-through pink, the usual base under a French tip.
Show all 30 base colors (20 more)
Bright 10
cherry redA bright, clear red.
cobalt blueA strong, pure blue.
coralBetween pink and orange.
grass greenA fresh mid green.
hot pinkThe loudest pink.
lemon yellowA sharp, bright yellow.
tangerineA bright orange.
turquoiseBetween blue and green.
violetA bright purple.
whiteSolid white, one of the oldest polish colors.
Deep and dark 10
blackSolid black, one of the oldest polish colors.
burgundyA dark red with purple in it.
charcoal grayA dark gray, just short of black.
chocolate brownA dark, warm brown.
deep redA dark, classic red.
forest greenA dark green.
navyA very dark blue.
oliveA dull yellow-green.
plumA dark purple.
tealA dark blue-green.
How this list was compiled: Own list of 30 base colors in plain color words, each with one line saying what the color is. Three lines carry a fact from English Wikipedia, read 2026-10-01: the pink or sheer base of a French manicure ('Manicure') and that nail polish started in clear, white, red, pink, purple and black ('Nail polish'). No brand, product or shade name of a maker is used. Licence: own work
Art: all 50 designs
Classic techniques 12
a French tipOnly the tip is painted: white on a classic French, or a color that stands out from the base.
a French tip in a second colorThe French idea with a bright or dark tip in place of white.
a gradient into a second colorOne color fades into another, dabbed on with a sponge.
Show all 50 designs (47 more)
Classic techniques, continued
a half-moon at the baseAlso called an inverse French: a half-moon in one color at the root of the nail.
a stamped patternA special tool moves the design from a stamp to the nail.
a stenciled shapePolish goes over a pre-cut stencil and leaves a clean shape.
a thin French tipA French tip kept to a narrow line at the very edge.
a water marble swirlA swirled pattern made by water marbling.
glitter on the tipsGlitter only at the free edge, thinning toward the middle.
nail stickersReady-made designs that stick on over the base color.
one all-glitter nailOne nail on each hand covered in glitter.
water decalsThin printed designs that slide onto the nail.
Dots and lines 12
a checkerboardSmall squares in two colors.
chevronsV shapes stacked along the nail.
diagonal color blocksThe nail split corner to corner into two flat colors.
gingham checksSoft checks made from see-through crossing stripes.
one dot at the base of each nailThe smallest design there is: a single dot.
one line down the middleA single stripe from base to tip.
plaidCrossing stripes in two or three colors.
polka dotsEven dots, made with a dotting tool or a toothpick.
swirlsLoose curling lines, painted with a fine brush.
thin stripesStraight lines, masked with thin striping tape.
tiny dots along the tipA row of small dots where a French tip would be.
wavy linesStripes that ripple from side to side.
Small pictures 14
a crescent moon and starsA night sky on a dark base.
a tiny beeA yellow oval with black stripes on one nail.
autumn leavesSmall leaves in reds, oranges and browns.
butterfliesTwo pairs of small wings, painted by hand.
cherriesTwo red dots joined by a green stem.
daisiesFive dots around a center dot.
ladybugsA red dot, a black line and a few spots.
lemon slicesA yellow half-circle with white segments.
little cloudsWhite puffs built from overlapping dots.
rainbowsCurved stripes, one color after another.
small heartsTwo dots pulled together into a point make a heart.
snowflakesFine crossing lines, drawn with a nail art pen.
strawberriesRed, with seed dots and a leafy top.
tiny starsSmall stars scattered over the nail, painted by hand.
Stuck on and mixed 12
a different color on every nailFive colors on each hand in place of one.
a pearl on one nailOne small pearl as the only decoration.
a row of small studsMetal studs set in a line.
a strip of laceLace laid over the color on one or two nails.
a tiny bow on one nailA miniature bow charm stuck to a single nail.
caviar beads on one nailTiny beads pressed on before the polish dries, for a sandy texture.
flecks of foilTorn pieces of foil pressed onto the polish.
leopard spotsUneven blotches with broken dark outlines.
one accent nail in a second colorEvery nail matches but one.
one rhinestone at the base of each nailA single stone stuck on near the root.
pressed dried flowersReal dried flowers sealed under a clear coat.
tortoiseshellSee-through amber with dark brown patches.
How this list was compiled: Own list of 50 designs, each with one line on what it is or how it is made. The techniques and tools are those named in English Wikipedia's 'Nail art' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_art, read 2026-10-01): stamping, stenciling and hand painting; glitter, water decals, water marbling, nail stickers; studs, rhinestones, pearls, lace, miniature bows, dried flowers and foil; caviar beads; dotting tools, nail art brushes and pens, striping tape and sponges for gradients, with toothpicks as a home tool. The French tip and its white tips over a pink or sheer base are as in 'Manicure' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manicure), and the half-moon, or inverse French, as in 'Nail art'. The motifs (stars, daisies, cherries and the rest) and the notes on how they are built from dots and lines are our own. No brand, product or named nail artist appears. Licence: own work
Finish: all 10 finishes
Plain 2
glossyA clear top coat for shine: it forms a hard layer that helps prevent chips.
matteA matte coat turns a glossy polish flat.
Sparkle and shine 5
cat-eyeA magnetic polish pulled into a bright line, like the slit of a cat's eye.
glitterA layer of glitter over the color.
holographicA holographic coat throws rainbow reflections in the light.
iridescentA finish that shifts color as the nail moves.
speckledSmall flecks scattered through the top layer.
Show all 10 finishes (3 more)
Texture and effects 3
color-changingA thermochromic polish changes color with heat or cold.
crackleAn overcoat that dries to a cracked, shattered pattern.
velvetVelvet fibers sprinkled onto wet polish for a fuzzy feel.
How this list was compiled: 10 finishes, each with one line, after English Wikipedia read 2026-10-01: the top coat and what it does, and the crackled, glitter, speckled, iridescent and holographic polishes ('Nail polish', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_polish); the matte effect, holographic coat, velvet manicure, crackle effect, thermochromic polish and magnetic cat eye ('Nail art', section Innovations). Chrome is not in either article and is left out. No brand or product is named. Licence: own work