Both of us went freehand, and I think this is most intricate freehand design I ever did on my nails. In the process I discovered (kind of) that I don't have a proper brushes for this kind of work. I tell you - by the time I was finished, my eyes were crossed.
We had a same photo of suitcase with Paddington bear on it, to use as reference, and Gerry also sent me few more Paddington bear pic, if I need more detail. I really like that even though we had a same reference, both manicures have character of their own. I was not really that confident in my freehand skills, so my bear is hidden behind the map, while Gerry decided to paint bear face on hers...
As a base I used Sinful Colors - Unicorn (soft yellow), then using a sponge I dabbed Color Club - Je ne sais quoi (mustardy yellow) and Sparitual - Kindness (shimmery burnt orange). That was the way I created my background, on which I painted using black acrylic color and nail polish. I misjudged my brown, so my Paddington looks bit tanned. :-)
I topped everything with matte top coat. I am always debating with myself about it. Should I keep it shiny with brilliant colors, or should I do it matte - bit duller color wise, but with clear design that does not have to compete with glare. What are your thoughts on this gloss versus matte issue? I included both versions for you to see.