Nail artist shares intricate Lunar New Year nail design details
By Jess Watts | 17 February 2026 | Art & Technique, Feature, Nail art, Tech Talk
Philadelphia-based nail technician, Ariana Nevoienna, has over seven years’ experience in the nail industry, having trained in her home country of Ukraine before moving to the US three years ago.
“I studied at an art school from a young age, which strongly influenced my creative vision,” the nail artist says. “Because of this background, my favourite styles include hand-painted nail art and custom design work.
“I especially enjoy creating artistic, conceptual and competition-style designs where I can paint freehand and express ideas through detailed illustration, colour and composition.”
Ariana Nevoienna has created an intricate nail look in celebration of Lunar New Year. Each year of the lunar calendar is represented by one of the 12 zodiac animals, with 2026 ushering in the Year of the Horse. This year’s animal icon is said to signify energy, vitality and action.
“It was very important for me to include key symbols of Lunar New Year in this design,” Ariana comments. “The horse is the year’s symbol, snowflakes represent new beginnings and trees on the pinkie reflect the winter season.
“The creative process was inspired by the Lunar New Year being a symbol of renewal, growth and inner strength,” she adds. “The design uses green tones, as the shade represents harmony, renewal and natural energy. Softer neutral shades were added to maintain elegance and a modern, high-fashion aesthetic, while keeping the overall look refined and balanced.”
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Ariana notes that, though wonderfully rewarding, she did face challenges when crafting the exquisite nail style.”The most challenging part was creating the concept and bringing all the ideas together in one unified design,” she shares. “The inspiration came from several creative concepts, and my goal was to combine them in a single, harmonious story rather than simply recreating individual elements.
“Another challenge was connecting the image of the horse across three nails (the index, middle and ring fingers) in a way that felt visually complete,” Ariana continues. “Ensuring that the separate parts aligned naturally and read as one unified image required careful planning, precise proportions and strong attention to overall balance.”
The final design is one of intricate beauty, perfectly encapsulating the Lunar New Year, alongside the symbolism of this year’s icon: the horse.
Follow Ariana Nevoienna on Instagram.
Click here to view our gallery of Lunar New Year nail designs.
