Sneaker Freaker

Hey there!

So you may have noticed some of the creative skill that went into the Sneaker Freaker challenge we issued our fave designers with this month, on page 28 of the mag. Clever stuff huh? Well you too can get your creative genius on with these helpful step-by-step guides provided by our talented designers. Read on and get inspired!

Ocean and Earth

1. Remove the laces from your plain white shoe.

2. Apply a layer of masking tape around the rubber edge of the shoe (this helps keep your texta lines off the rubber and keeps it looking neat!), making sure it is tucked into the edges of the rubber.

3. With a black medium tipped permanent marker (or any colour fabric marker), starting from the centre of the front panel working your way out, draw a series of lines quite close together?(it's easier to keep them straight this way!). It doesn't matter too much if they're a bit wobbly - this gives it the lovely hand drawn effect!

4. Repeat this on the back panel, but with vertical stripes.

5. Find 3 small black buttons and sew them in a line onto the tongue of the shoe.

6. With a piece of velvet ribbon (approximately 2cm wide) create a small bow and sew this onto the top of the tongue.

7. Voila! You have your tuxedo shoe ready to wear with tights and baggy tees!

Converse

1. After selecting the material of you choice, apply a fabric glue (purchased from any Spotlight/Lincraft etc) to the surfaces of shoe which you want to recover. Place fabric onto glued surfaces, allow to dry, then cut off any over hang – trimming neatly as you go.

2. Applying the fabric glue to the back off your diamantes, charms or beads (or whatever else you feel the urge to use!) and place on sneaker in desired pattern. Press firmly for a few seconds then leave to dry.

3. Remove existing laces, or add to with varying types of cords to create a fun and original looking sneaker. Patterned ribbons or laces make a great contrast!

Keds

Purchase some textas and oil based craft paint from newsagents, art shops or speciality craft shops (like Spotlight).

Draw on your Keds shoe with the textas, use a variety of colours to create a fun original looking sneaker. Get creative – even just doodling can look cool.

Splatter paint all over the by flicking the paint brush with your thumb. Choose colours that contrast with the textas; work well. Remember, this is your shoe and your design so anything you do will be original!

Leave to dry for as long as the oil based paint requires. Paint should dry rock hard.

Wear with pride!

Cassette Society

1. Purchase from any kick ass art supply store the following: a stencil for your moon and star design, a silver permanent marker, a black fine tip black pen and a thicker, and a black permanent marker.

2. Colour in the canvas of the sneaker in black permanent marker, remembering to remove laces and colour the tongue in as well.

3. Now, with felt tip pen trace off stencilled stars and moons onto shoe - these outlines will be hard to see but should still be visible over the permanent marker.

4. Colour in the stars and moons silver. Give them all one coat then go back and give another coat.

5. Wait for them to dry (1 hour approx in sun) and then thread laces back through.

6. Parade around town!

Dunlop Volleys