In this post, I'll be sharing some tips on how I customize shoes. This is nothing new or ground breaking as there are YouTube videos out there from more experienced artists providing their own tips and techniques. Nonetheless, I still think it's important that I do my part and share what I know in case some of you may want to give shoe customizing a try one day.
Before I get into the tutorial, here's a little disclaimer. Anyone with a little artistic ability beyond stick figure drawings can customize shoes. But...to be good (even great) at this, you need a ton of PATIENCE. With that said, let's get into the tutorial.
STEP 1: Clean the shoes
I use a standard bathroom / kitchen brush which can be purchased at any local hardware store. For the cleaning solution, I mix (1) part water, (1) part glass cleaner with ammonia and a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and is dispensed using a spray bottle.
Unlace the shoes, spray the solution on the shoe and scrub away. Use a rag to wipe away the solution after brushing. Do not rinse off the shoe with water as we want to avoid as much moisture on the shoe.
(If the shoes are new, you may skip this step and proceed to Step 2)
STEP 2: Prep the leather for painting
For this step you need Acetone (nail polish remover), cotton pads and latex gloves (optional). I would highly recommend higher end cotton pads and not cotton balls to prevent unnecessary cotton fibers getting stuck on the surface of the shoe.
Soak (careful not to oversaturate) the cotton pad with acetone and lightly scrub the surface of the leather to remove the factory clear finish. You don't need to scrub hard but make sure to thoroughly wipe all areas of the shoe you plan to paint.
STEP 3: Select your paint
I use (along with the rest of the shoe customizing world) Angelus Brand leather paints. It is proven and I haven't seen any other product come close to being as effective. If you don't have access to Angelus paints locally, they deliver worldwide. Click on this link to access their website: ANGELUS DIRECT
These paints can be used straight out of the bottle after a good shake to ensure it is mixed thoroughly. They can be applied with a good set of brushes or sprayed on using an airbrush. For airbrushing, you will need to dilute the paints with another Angelus product called "2 - Thin". As for ratio, Angelus recommends a 4:1 ratio of paint to "2 - Thin".
I like to sketch the design using a pencil as a guide before I paint the shoes. I don't recommend ink pens or pencils with dark soft leads (6B) as they are tougher to cover up with the paints.
STEP 5: Start painting
Like art, there is no universal standard on how to paint but as a rule of thumb I paint the lighter colors on first. It's much easier to cover mistakes made with lighter shades of paint with a darker shade than vice versa.
It will take 4-5 coats to get the desired consistency. Be patient and let each coat dry thoroughly before adding the next coat. You can save lots of time by using a heat gun like the one below which may be an added expense but a very good investment in my opinion.
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| Use the low heat setting when drying your paints. It is sufficient and easier to control. |
STEP 6: Apply a finisher
This is the last step and one of the most critical. Finishers not only give the shoe a nice professional look but it protects the paint from scuffs and scratches. It's basically the same clear coat we initially removed so the paint can properly adhere to the leather.
I use a matte finish with an added dulling agent (also sold through Angelus Direct) to remove excess shine from the paint. I like to put two coats just to make sure the entire surface I painted on is protected. This can be applied with a brush or sprayed on using an airbrush with no added diluting agents.
Congratulations, you just customized your very first sneaker. Any questions?
Till my next post. Thanks, everyone!
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