Is nail art really an art?

What is its methodology and other stuff that makes it a true fine art? :)Is nail art really an art?
ohhhhhhhhh no! Its a craft. Heres a good way to tell the difference. If the ';art'; includes a formula where many people can do the same kind of thing and it all comes out looking the same- its a craft. I.E. 1 stroke painting- making things out of popsicle sticks...Is nail art really an art?
It's not real art in the conventional sence but it is creative. That makes it art.
I believe all expression of the creative mind is art so i believe that nail art is trully art. Just think of all the time and effort needed in nail art. it takes true dedication, passion for your art and skill to achieve the results U want in nail art.
Aesthetics are just one aspect of art but not always a primary condition determining if something is or isnt art. However if you consider pre-modern art when the academy dominated the discussion of art, aesthetics were indeed the predominate determining factor of whether something was considered art or not. Then again art had a different function than it does today so it is of no surprise that the definition of art has also manifested into something else.


As you may or may not know we are in the post modern art era, or as some have contended the post post modern art era. Where these eras end and where they start can be at times nebulous. So what is the methodology of art for this era. Each artist has their own direction within the broader definition, but you can say that for a majority of artist, they don't create their art for aesthetics sake, though some do for various reasons or others. Whether it is accepted as art is another thing though. In general the function of art starting with the modern era has been to take the benign or the everyday and to disect and transform these things into something beyond its own meaning so as to create a discussion. Perhaps it is this discussion which is key to the modern artist. In the past it may have been enough for someone to pat you on the back and say good job, but todays artists are typically looking to evoke more of an emotional reaction. Of course this is not to say that pre modern artists didnt try to evoke emotions, because they certainly did, but not in the same way that todays artist challenge their audiences. Todays art especially post modern art is especially cerebral and challenging, and can be at times not aesthetic enough for some audiences who have a classical pre-modern perception of what art is.


So with regards to the question about nail art. Really what your question suggest is what is the difference between art and design. Nail art uses the word art in the most liberal of ways, just the same as I can weave a tapestry of swear words like an art form. Certainly cussing is not an art, and nail art, well what questions does it ask? Nail art definately takes something everday and benign and transforms it into something other than it is, but it doesn't reveal anything of meaning beyond what it is, that being pretty nails or a nice design. Then we touch on intention, generally it is not the intention of the nail artists to create nails that would create great cerebral discussions about politics, religion, or anything other than what kind of polish did you use. However, could someone use nails to create great art, why not...modern art is not limited by the medium. To be art it doesnt have to be canvas or marble. Art is not about the medium more than it is about an idea or concept which is being relayed to an audience. Anyhow if you are looking to create great works of art on fingernails have at it, just be able to explain in great detail why you did it.