INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Zipper

This is one of the simple yet effective tutorials. It uses type for the zipper teeth, along a path to create the effect. It is surprisingly simple yet really cool when it's done.

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Draw an Arc, hold down SHIFT to make a perfect arc. 

Draw a straight line, hold SHIFT to make it vertical. 

Select both the Arc and the Line and then join them, COMMAND + J. Object>Path>Join.

Select the Type on a Path Tool from the Tool bar. 

Select a font that has a square cap T, Playbill is what I used for a font. 

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Type along the path. I extended the width of the T to 150% in the Character panel as the T was a bit narrow. 

Select the Type with the selection Tool and Outline it. Type>Create Outlines or SHIFT+COMMAND+O

Select a portion of the type with the Direct Selection Tool. You can only select portion of the type, if you select all the corner widgets won't show up. 

Set the corners to the same amount, with this font 1 PX worked well. This forms the teeth of the zipper.

Select the rounded type on a path, RIGHT + CLICK and call up the Transform>Reflect Menu. 

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Reflect it on the vertical axis and click COPY.

Move the paths into position so the teeth fit together. 

This is how it looks when it begins to open up. 

Now for the Zipper. Start with a rectangle. 

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Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the top two corner widgets.

Hold OPTION and click through  the corners to get to flat corners. 

Use the Free Transform Tool to narrow the bottom of the shape. 

Bring the bottom ends in slightly less than the top edges. 

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Shorten the height to get the zipper section. 

Flip the stroke and the fill. Beef up the stroke. Draw a rectangle inside. 

Draw another rectangle, stroke and not fill.

Use the Free Transform Tool to narrow the top edge. 

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Use the Direct Selection Tool to select all the corners and bring the corners in to the max amount. 

Draw 2 circles top and bottom. I added orange here just for demonstration purposes. 

Select all 3 shapes and use the Exclude pathfinder mode. 

This will knock out the hole in the zipper handle. You can swap out the orange fill for white fill.

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Place the handle on the catch and bring the small rectangle to the top. Select all the parts and group them. 

Place the zipper/catch on the zipper where the teeth begin to join. 

And you are done. Nice job, you just created a zipper. Now that was fun!!