A quicker way would be using a sponge but I prefer the brush because the sponge make it too thick and makes the surface look and feel bumpy. First I painted my nails in two coats of the pink and let dry completely. Then I took some old lid and I dropped some nail pink, purple, and blue next to one another. I took an old square foundation brush and dipped it into the trio of polish and ran it across my nails from one end to another, you can repeat if you want a more neater looking coat. Then I took an old hard angled brush that I didn’t use anymore and dipped it into acetone and cleaned up the polish that was all over my fingers. Add a top cost and wah-lah! Gradient nails.