Customize your converse shoes | BuyAndWalk.com Official Blog

Ever wanted to own a completely original pair of shoes? A pair of shoes that no one else would have and that reflect exactly what you are all about. Well then the doctor is in, and he says you are ready to dive into the world of custom shoe design. This is a world of endless possibilities limited only by your own ideas and imagination. Before you start getting out you sketch pad, first you need to find the right pair of shoes to turn into your very own masterpiece of wearable art. Converse All Stars are the perfect <a href="http://www.8shoxonline.com/products_all.html"><strong>Black Nike Shox Shoes</strong></a> canvas for you to unleash your wild imagination on. Their uppers are literally canvas, so they are just asking for it. And they are uni######, which is a definite plus. But you can also use canvas Vans shoes, these are a bit more limited in style than Chucks, but many people like them because they offer a wider surface in front. If you want my opinion, I like customized converse all stars better, but that is just my vibe. Check them both out and choose your favorite blank canvas to start working on. You can see some plain color converse shoes here: chuck taylor shoes Take a few minutes to look at these videos to see some custom chucks and some custom vans , these videos made my jaw drop. &nbsp; &nbsp; Now onto color. White shoes are without a doubt the most versatile. On a white surface paint will keep its true color and therefore is easier to know how your master piece will look in the end. But you can achieve new dimensions and different s styles with if you use different color shoes, including black. Color canvas gives you the chance to leave large sections of the shoe unpainted. So the color of shoes you want to use is pretty much up to you. Here you can see a custom converse all stars that was done over a dark blue canvas upper &nbsp; &nbsp; When it comes to paints and supplies to actually paint your kicks, you have many different options, and as usual they all come with pros and cons. The better known and most commonly used ones are acrylic and fabric paint, and they are my personal fav. With these paint you need to be extra careful, but the results are outstanding. You can also use fabric pens, permanent pens, and airbrush amongst others. Below (on step 5) you will find links to learn the differences between them and how to use them. &nbsp;&nbsp; Step by step to customize your own converse: &nbsp; 1.Choose your design. If this is your first time, and you have no previous art experience, I recommend you choose a simple design, without too many fine details, and not too many different colors. Start simple and you won't <a href="http://www.8shoxonline.com/products_all.html"><strong>Nike Shox Shoes Women</strong></a> be disappointed. After you had a taste of how the paint works with the canvas, you can start taking bigger risks, until you feel ready to create a true shoe masterpiece of your own. &nbsp; Tip: Simple details like swirls and stars can turn a simple design into an outstanding one, without significantly increasing the difficulty. The key is to plan ahead where and how you are going to distribute them, and in what colors. If you start free-handing it, you might end up with a circus style look from where there is no turning back, so be careful. 2.Get your work area ready. Prevent staining you favorite table by placing newspapers over it. &nbsp; 3.Get your shoes ready. To make the shoe surface firm, and avoid it caving with the pressure of the brushes or pens, it's recommended you stuff the shoes. You can use wadded up newspapers. Mask the rubber sides and toe with tape, this will make sure that even if you paint over them they will remain clean and paint free. Remove the laces, unless you are making them part of the design, but even then I would recommend you paint them separately. &nbsp; 4.Get your design outline on the shoe. If you are confident enough you can draw your design directly on the canvas shoe, but if you don't feel like jumping head first into the drawing shoes pool yet, you can always draw your design on a piece of paper (or even print it on, taking any actual drawing completely out of the equation) and then trace it to the shoe. Getting you design from the paper to your shoes is relatively easy. First turn over the paper and trace over the lines using a transfer pencil (can´t see the lines?, tape the paper to a window and trace it there). Then position the paper on the shoe, with the transfer side down (cut it if you need to), and pin it to hold it in place. Trace over the design with enough pressure for it to transfer to the canvas. Of course if you don't mind spending a few more bucks you can always use iron transfer paper, print on it, and just iron your design outline onto your shoes, you can then paint over it. &nbsp; 5.Let's give it some color. Here is where it gets tricky. To color your personalized shoes you have many different options, they all have some pros and cons, it's up to you to choose which one works best for you. You can use acrylic paint, fabric paint, fabric pens, permanent pens, and spray paint amongst others. Because explaining each one can get quite lengthy I have made a post for each of them, the links are bellow. I would suggest you read them all and then evaluate which one fits <a href="http://www.8shoxonline.com/nike-shox-torch-shoes-c-14.html"><strong>Nike Shox Torch Sale</strong></a> your needs and you skill level the best. And if you have any questions fell free to ask me. How to paint shoes with acrylics or fabric paint How to customize your converse shoes with fabric dye pens Original and unusual ways to customize your converse On these articles you will get a description of the different techniques too, so I am not going to go into that here either. &nbsp; 6.After the painting is over. Once you are done with the coloring, which can take days if you are doing multiple layers or overly intricate designs. Let the shoes dry completely, even if you can't wait to wear them out into the world, be patient. Depending on climate this can take days also (Follow the instructions of <a href="http://www.ifcqc.com/blogs/blog.php?do=showone&uid=259&type=blog&itemid=29600 7"><strong>Shop for MBT Men Sport Walking Shoe » Archive » mbt women's fora ...</strong></a> the paint manufacturers for estimated drying times) &nbsp; Tip: Be careful not to rub your fingers trough the painted areas to check if they are dry yet, they make look ready, but you might get a nasty smudgy surprise. &nbsp; Once they are good and dry peel off the tape from the rubber areas (this is a magical step, where you see the shiny unpainted rubber contrast against the design, it's my favorite part). &nbsp; &nbsp; Tips and Tricks &nbsp; You love your new personalized converse, but still think that there is something missing. Here are some extra tricks you might find useful to give them an extra kick (no pun intended … maybe a little pun, but just a little haha). &nbsp; You can use puff fabric paints in some areas to add a 3-D look to your art. Puff paint rises as it dries, adding volume and texture. &nbsp; A short quote or poem is always a nice touch, and a way for others to see what you stand for. &nbsp; For the icing on the shoe cake you can replace the white shoe laces with color laces that match you design to a T &nbsp;