Any advice on fingerpicking on a steel string?

I play classical and flamenco guitar, so I'm no stranger to fingerpicking. I know HOW to do it, but I've never done it on a steel string acoustic.

I don't want to grow my nails out for a couple reasons:
1) I play bass in a band, so I need my nails short
2) They would get destroyed at work anyways

I've been inspired to start going into this genre because of this guy:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ewan+dobson&oq=ewan+dobson&gs_l=youtube-reduced.3..35i39l2j0l2.259403.261628.0.261687.15.15.0.0.0.0.114.1142.13j1.14.0...0.0...1ac.1.L3TTUe66Aos

Are nails required, or are there other ways to achieve this? I notice that he uses a thumb pick and I know you can get individual finger picks. Just not too sure what my options are.

Hey hunter1801,

Thanks for the question. No, nails are not required. Thumb picks work great and some people even find great tone using the flesh of their fingers. Either way takes some reps to get it sounding the way you want.

Let us know if you have any other questions!

Best,
GT Admin

This isn't a technique deal but a good post from a great fingerstylist:
http://laurencejuber.wordpress.com/2011/03/19/heads-hands-and-feet-3/

...and a good article:
http://www.guitar.com/articles/laurence-juber-fab-fingerstyle-laurence-juber

Alaska Piks might be just the thing.

Originally Posted by: hunter1801I play classical and flamenco guitar, so I'm no stranger to fingerpicking. I know HOW to do it, but I've never done it on a steel string acoustic.

I don't want to grow my nails out for a couple reasons:
1) I play bass in a band, so I need my nails short
2) They would get destroyed at work anyways

I've been inspired to start going into this genre because of this guy:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ewan+dobson&oq=ewan+dobson&gs_l=youtube-reduced.3..35i39l2j0l2.259403.261628.0.261687.15.15.0.0.0.0.114.1142.13j1.14.0...0.0...1ac.1.L3TTUe66Aos

Are nails required, or are there other ways to achieve this? I notice that he uses a thumb pick and I know you can get individual finger picks. Just not too sure what my options are.

...and a video from Juber:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMUVz40hGnU&feature=related

Ok, ok...I'll get off the whole Laurence Juber deal and stop posting about him all the time...but, he was that good when I did the workshop. Really something.