Tutorial: Zipper Nails

One of my design I have had the most compliments on is the zipper nail. Like the leopard print nail design it is a design that looks complicated but is really quite easy. For this tutorial I have broken it down into six easy steps. Here you can see that I have done this design on my nails as well as on the practice nail to show you that it can easily be achieved with any length nail. It is such a fun and easy design I think that with a little practice anyone can achieve it. Since my nails are a little longer I decided to add a fun pink leopard print as the pattern that is being unzipped to. I have a tutorial on just the leopard print if you only want to create this design. Click here to view leopard print nail art tutorial. If you have longer nails you can choose to add this pattern or perhaps stripes or polka dots, or even just leave it plain like I have in the tutorial. Just have fun and use your imagination. If you would like to try this design out keep reading......!!

How to Achieve this Zipper Nail Art Design in Six Easy Steps:

Step One: Polish nails

Step One: 

Polish Nails in your desired color. For my color I chose this lovely glossy black shade by sephora because it gives the illusion of patent leather but whatever color you choose will work just fine.

Step Two: Add Upside Down Triangle at top of nail

Step Two: 

With a dotting tool or a thin nail art brush make an upside down triangle at the top of the nail. If you have an unsteady hand simply use two pieces of tape to mark off the triangle and paint the color of your choice inside it. This will form the area that the zipper appears to be unzipping to. You can choose any color you like. For this tutorial I chose a blue paint since it stands out well from the white of the zipper we will be creating. You don't want to choose anything too light or neutral or it will blend into the zipper design.

Step Three: Make smaller triangle connecting to the tip of your other triangle

Step Three:

Using a dotting tool, detailing paintbrush, toothpick, or thin nail art brush make a smaller triangle connecting to your first larger triangle in either a white or a silver water based acrylic paint. this will form the top of our zipper pull.

Step Four: make several small lines all along the sides of the big triangle

Step Four:

Using white acrylic paint and a small size dotting tool, detailing paintbrush, thin art nail brush, or a toothpick  make several small lines along the sides of the bigger triangle.

Step Five:

Using White acrylic paint and a small size dotting tool, toothpick, detailing paintbrush, or thin nail art brush make a half hexagon shape connecting to the bottom of the smaller white triangle. This will complete the formation of our zipper pull.

Step Six: Add several small lines under zipper pull

Step Six: 

Using white water based acrylic paint and a dotting tool, toothpick, thin detailing paintbrush or thin nail art brush make several small lines underneath the finished zipper pull.

the same look on my nails using traditional leopard print colors (click on photo to enlarge)

Supplies:

1) Black polish: This is a Sephora brand baby size polish I am not sure of the price since I got it as a gift from a friend but I love it! It is a beautiful glossy one coat black  that is amazing quality.

2) Painter's Palette: $2.99 Joann's Craft Store

3) Double ended Dotting Tool: $1.59 for a set of five different size dotting tools. I actually just purchased this from Ebay and really recommend them. The shipping was very quick especially considering it came from Hong Kong!! and best of all shipping was free!!

click here to purchase this set from ebay

*Both Acrylic Paints are from Joann's Home Essentials Purchased at Joann's Craft Store for $0.59 each

1) White Paint: #72001 "white"

2) Blue Paint: #72136 "caribbean coast"