A Study on Nail Art Works Using Natural Fractal Motifs Based on Generative AI

This study aimed to develop nail art designs inspired by natural fractal motifs and compare the visual expression of DALL·E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion. Four natural fractal motifs were selected through a literature review: clouds, lightning, ant nests, and planets. A shared prompt framework incorporating fractal characteristics, formative elements, and nail art design requirements was established. Common English prompts were used as initial inputs for the three models, followed by image refinement using their respective functions. A focus group interview (FGI) with ten nail art professionals and instructors was conducted to examine design suitability and practical applicability. The generated images exhibited differences in composition, color, texture, and detail. FGI participants highlighted Midjourney’s representation of fractal elements, color harmony, texture rendering, and overall design quality. Their feedback informed the selection of Midjourney for physical artwork development. Four nail art works were produced, incorporating randomness and overlapping, nonlinearity and diffusion, irregularity and distortion, and an artistic interpretation of self-similarity and repetition. The visual features of the generated images were adapted to the materials and techniques used in physical production. This study presents a design development process integrating motif analysis, prompt design, image generation, FGI, and physical production. The findings suggest that generative AI can support the exploration of fractal-inspired nail art and offer a foundation for further applications in beauty design and education.