Batman, Snow White, Kermit The Frog, Jaws and Star Wars: Are these movie-inspired manicures the craziest nail art yet?




Austin Powers and Indiana Jones are usually seen either on the big or little screens.

But a 24-year-old student from Birmingham has given these characters and many more a new canvas: fingernails.

Creative movie buff Kayleigh O'Connor has really nailed the art of the manicure by painting her nails with elaborate designs inspired by films and other forms of pop culture.

Snow White without her seven dwarves.....and Kermit The Frog



The media studies student amazes friends and strangers when she goes out wearing her wacky designs, which include Batman, Dr Who, Oscar The Grouch, Tetris and Star Wars.

Other iconic designs that have inspired Kayleigh include spoof spy movie Austin Powers, hit American drama Breaking Bad, Fab lollies, Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and Pixar movie Up.



Kayleigh, who started wearing glue-on nails when she was 16 ' to cover up my badly bitten real ones' spends up to two hours perfecting her elaborate and unique designs with very fine brushes and a rainbow of coloured varnishes.

'Initially I just painted them plain colours, but that got boring pretty fast. I started adding lines and patterns, then cartoon characters and logos.



'I later realised that I could change the shapes of the nails to make them more individual rather than sticking to just square, rounded or pointed ones. This is what I enjoy doing now.



'I am a fan of so many television shows, films and musicians that there is a never ending list of things I want to represent on my nails. '

Four little Batmans and the superhero's bat sign....and Pixar's animated movie Up



Kayleigh - who wanted only her nails photographed, not her face - said she thinks of her quirky creations as mini, temporary tattoos: ' Which is good considering my impulsive nature - I would probably be covered in tattoos by now if my nails weren't the outlets for my fandoms.'



Speaking about the practicality of her often jagged and pointy designs, Kayleigh added that there is a price to pay for the pursuit of inventive beauty: 'I always wear my designs out but it's not always practical. Some of them break very easily or snag holes in my tights. But it's just for a laugh, so I don't mind.



'People are always asking me about my nails and where I got them done, it's very flattering. '



Kayleigh now has a collection of 100 different varnishes, which she applies to fake nails before sticking them, fully decorated, on her fingers.



Some have to be made in stages to give base colours time to dry before adding details - a nd she helps the time fly by watching the corresponding film or television show while they do.



Though her nail art is currently only a hobby, Kayleigh has dreams of opening a nail salon or online shop so others can share her fun.

Retro Nintendo Game Boy game Tetris....and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury



Indiana Jones and his well-worn lassoo....and five Fab lollies



Sesame Street's resident garbage monster Oscar The Grouch...and Edward Scissorhands - with both sets of scissored hands



A Dalek from TV favourite Dr Who.....and the doctor's very own time travel vehicle, the Tardis



The shark from Jaws goes after a tiny swimmer....and Dr Evil hatches a cunning plan to foil Austin Powers

