Nail Tech Artist Piperzy Uses Augmented Reality To Create Nails That Have Miniature Worlds On Them

Tay Cunningham
6 min readJan 3, 2022
Image by: Piperzy

From the infamous and never-ending flow of new metaverses to the expanding sector of augmented reality (AR), we see the continued deep saturation of virtual reality as part of our new normal. TikTok AR Piperzy, a popular creator of TikTok AR, is one artist who delves into this expanding world. Piper ZY launched her unique creation “Day 12" as part of his series, 100 days of art in augmented reality, which sent the platform into a frenzy: AR nails.

It’s true, duck nails, it appears that AR nails may be the next big thing. The Chicago-based artist and self-proclaimed futurist sat down with Screen Shot to discuss her latest creation, as well as all things augmented reality in art and fashion.

Why bother with real false nails when you can have fake ones?

The augmented reality manicure, which features a bustling little town on the nail — complete with miniature cars, skyscrapers, and even an orbiting moon — is the latest concept from an artist who is not constrained by the world’s material obstacles. real. In fact, Piper ZY was inspired to create the ‘City Nail Project’ by the limitless potential of virtual space.

“I believe that the level of detail that is possible outside of physical constraints will be a new form of visual luxury,” she says.

She mentioned the metaverse in her explanation of the inspiration for her AR manicure, describing it as a space with a shifting sense of scale, easily deformable materials, and an infinite place for them. details.

“There is so much amazing and detailed jewelry for nails, makeup jewelry, [fashion], and hair art there, and I realized that it can also be detailed with AR and then animated,” the artist went on to say.

The breadth of such virtual realities for expressive and inspired creativity prompted Piper ZY to describe herself as a futurist — a person who is deeply fascinated and dedicated to the possibilities of the future — and fueled the creative flow behind. AR manicure, “I have a constant sense of an alternate realm that is only slightly different from reality, and I still want to materialize it.”

“I like to make things that I’ve never seen before and that I imagine are set in the far future.” There’s something poetic about me that we can’t [possibly] imagine in distant realms. To exist exists, but time is a factor. “Whether it’s 2021 or 2022, my goal is to express a feeling and a moment in time,” she continued.

She described her interactions with creativity as a child, including one in which she mentally produced music videos and fashion shows to the sounds of her favorite songs. Piper ZY was inspired to make the change by the seemingly groundbreaking, reality-pushing artists she grew up with: “I love artists who push the boundaries of reality and create a moment out of an alternate timeline.” After focusing on reality distortions in oil painting, I began creating AR outfits and concepts for my own small music video projects in 2016, but with traditional editing software. », she explained.

For those of us who aren’t visionaries like Piper ZY, it can be difficult to imagine such vast future realities — I mean, every time I see a metaverse-related title, I spiral. Without speaking, I’m still not sure what NFTs are or how they work. So it’s no surprise that I’m perplexed by AR’s abilities and technological advancements. And if you can relate, don’t worry: artist AR has explained the intricate process behind the physical development of the ‘City Nail Project’ to us.

“A target tracker is used in the project to place an AR element on a live image or flat surface.” “Typically, the target image needs to be slightly larger than a fingernail and completely flat to work well,” she explained. “I had to bring out some acrylic paint to create an illusion of flatness on the target nail for it to work, and use a thumb,” Piper ZY explained. Once the tracker was up and running, she was able to add the details she needed for her city, such as buildings, moving items, and any aspects that required animation. “From there, the city’s highlight appears when the camera is directed at the original nail.”

The AR artist’s most popular creation to date has received over a million views and widespread support on TikTok, with many requesting more nail designs and suggestions for the creator to explore. NFT. But what draws users into the world of augmented reality? What is the secret recipe for its success? Piper ZY, on the other hand, believes she has the solution.

Why Is The World Of Augmented Reality So Popular?

“AR broadens the types of statements we can make and aids in mood creation.” “It adds a cinematic, dreamlike element to it, and I think that’s why so many people liked the concept,” she explained. Piper ZY also noted the importance of striking a balance between technology and concept in order to avoid alienating an audience, saying, “I love art that can do [the above] without AR, and in AR, I think the challenge is not to overuse the medium’s technology and focus on the concept, especially when it is still a medium that is not fully understood or known.”

According to Piper ZY, her anonymity may be short-lived. For the designer, augmented reality is unquestionably the future of fashion and design, as she predicted nearly six years ago. “I enjoy science fiction and wrote a short story in 2016 about an augmented reality future in which all aspects of our appearance, communication, and advertising can be tweaked and tweaked, as seen through direct input.” “She revealed that she was taking control of our mind’s visual cortex.”

It appeared to the creator at the time to be simple science fiction, but she noted that technology has accelerated so quickly that it is quickly becoming a phenomenon. real. Its increased use in industry is reminiscent of “the diaper[s] ethical and philosophical questions in [both] technology and fashion,” she went on to say. However, according to Piper ZY, there is undeniable untapped potential for the long-term viability of AR in the fashion world.

The Metaverse And Augmented Reality

Speaking of worlds, augmented reality fashion and art will have a strong presence in the virtual metaverse — after all, celebrities like Rihanna and Justin Bieber have official metaverse avatars. The Metaverse, according to Piper ZY, provides the ideal environment of uncharted territory that will position artists at the forefront of this exciting new movement. “I think it’s a great time in art history where the ideas of artists and developers are just as important as designers and architects of the metaverse,” she says.

Despite its amazing potential, Piper ZY reminded us that the Metaverse isn’t a limitless utopia for artists and designers. Instead, there are risks associated with protecting your work as well as the ability to create AR art. “I hope AR can stay focused on artists and creators as a resource,” she told Screen Shot. I believe that allowing artists to protect their work and build their careers will be heavily reliant on how the tech titans organize that economy.”

There are some encouraging signs left. Accessibility is available to those who have the necessary technology. “I did the ‘City Nails Project’ for the full cost of a program subscription, but it could have been avoided, and it can be done for free with just a standard phone or computer, which I think is amazing,” she explained. Piper ZY predicts that the implementation of AR and VR will result in a similar transformation to the plethora of new career opportunities that have accompanied the rise of social media.

So that’s what the dreadful future holds. But where does this potential talent fit in? What is Piper ZY’s strategy? She’s got some interesting ideas up her sleeve, to be sure. “I want to broaden my concepts and create larger experiences that combine as many of my interests as possible,” she explained.

“I believe that as AR creators, we have an incredible opportunity to create new, immersive, and interactive forms of artistic media that are too abstract to name now but will become a part of our daily lives for decades to come.” to appear.”

You can check out the video of her nails on Piperzy Instagram page

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Tay Cunningham

Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the road less traveled.