How to Customize Shoes

So, you have this pair of shoes that were bought on an impulse, but now they just do not seem to float your boat! Well, don't waste them. A better idea is to get creative with them. A lot of people know about shoe makeovers, and they do a really good job at it too. While there are a bunch of people who like a slight personalized touch to their shoes, there are some others who think there is nothing more personal and stylish than designing your own shoes. For those of us who cannot design our shoes completely, why not just play around with them a bit? Here's the thing though, customizing can occasionally get a little expensive. However, if you are wondering how to customize your shoes for cheap, why not do it yourself? It'll be fun. As a guide, let's get started with a few do it yourself tips.

Customizing Your Shoes

Since the most commonly customized shoes are in fact sneakers, that is what we shall deal with now.

Step 1 involves the obvious. Picking the pair of sneakers you want to jazz up. While white or black are the easiest colors to work with, do not hesitate if your sneakers are a color other than these. What you would need in that case would be paints in the right colors. Besides the color factor, the fabric of the sneakers also matter. Undoubtedly, vinyl or leather sneakers are easiest to work with. Canvas is a great material too, provided you have a steady hand when it comes to sketching. So yeah, if you are a beginner, simplify the process by mostly customizing vinyl shoes and try staying away from hard to work on materials.

Step 2 is about a rough draft of the design you want on your shoes. The key here is for the pattern on both, the left as well as the right shoe to look identical, unless of course, you are aiming at something that is abstract and isn't necessarily expected to look alike. Start off with a rough piece on either paper, or if you are well acquainted with computer programs like Photoshop, you could even work with that. One of the most definite advantages with working on the computer is that you'll get a better idea of what the outcome will look like.

Step 3 is about getting your paints and colors together. A smart idea regarding your use of colors would be using paint markers as opposed to regular paints. They are simpler to use and are available in several tip sizes, thus allowing you a steady hand on the work you'll be doing. Another option that looks really great, and can give your shoes a really cool look are spray paints. Though, there is one tiny disadvantage you may be faced with. Spray paints work better on larger surfaces, and your sneakers will not really qualify as a large surface, so working on intricate details can get kinda tricky. Spray paints are best left to people who have some experience with customizing their own shoes.

Step 4 is all about finally starting work on your shoes. Once you reach this step, begin with drawing an outline on your shoes. Make sure the outlines on both shoes match each other. For this you can use either a very thin paintbrush, or perhaps even a good marker. Sharpie has some of the best markers to offer, and you are sure to find one to suit your purpose too. Once you've drawn the sketch, and are sure they look like what you were aiming for, move on to filling in the colors.

Step 5 brings you to the most entertaining part of customizing your shoes. Filling in the color! Once you're done with the cumbersome step of drawing the outline and reaching a level of perfection, this step will seem like a fun activity. You can go crazy with your choice of colors, depending on the design you've chosen of course. This step will seem very easy to get through if you've picked a simple design the first time you're trying your hand at funking up your own shoes. The more detailing you involve, the more tedious this process will be. Once you've completed the job, leave your shoes to dry well for a minimum of 3 to 4 days. This will get the paints dry enough before you start using your shoes.

Tip: If you do not want your paints to wear out too soon, you can spray some aerosol clear coat over the colors. Doing so will help the colors last longer.

You now know the procedure, but what about designs? Maybe we could go over a few ideas for that too. Some of the commonly seen designs are skull and bones, tribal art, the peace symbol, stars, graffiti or ambigram (very funky). If these are too common for you, you could even get your favorite characters from video games. I've seen the Super Mario Brothers on a pair, and does it look great or what!! Maybe, you could try something similar too.

Now that you know the procedure, go get creative and have some fun. A lot of big shoe brands will customize your shoes for you, but it may cost you a good deal. But why bother, right? Do it yourself, and go flaunt your shoes with pride! :)