Okay, so I’ve been wanting to customize a pair of shoes for a while, and I finally decided to give it a go. I went with a pair of women’s canvas pacers – simple, classic, and a perfect blank slate. Here’s how it all went down.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed a pair of plain white canvas pacers. You can find these pretty much anywhere, but I wanted to make sure they were decent quality so the design would last. I also picked up some fabric markers, acrylic paints, and some brushes of different sizes. Oh, and masking tape! That’s super important for getting clean lines.
Prepping the Shoes
Before I could start with the fun stuff, I had to prep the shoes. I stuffed them with some old newspaper to help them keep their shape while I worked. Then, I used the masking tape to cover the soles and any areas I didn’t want to get paint on. This part took a little patience, but it’s worth it in the end.
Creating the Design
- I had a rough idea in mind – a simple floral pattern. Nothing too complicated, since it was my first time.
- I lightly sketched out the design on the shoes with a pencil first. This gave me a guide to follow and helped me avoid any major mistakes.
- Once I was happy with the sketch, I started filling it in with the fabric markers. I used these for the outlines and finer details.
- For the larger areas of color, I switched to acrylic paints. I found that applying thin layers worked best to prevent the paint from cracking.
- I let each layer dry completely before adding the next. This is key to a smooth, professional-looking finish.
Finishing Touches
After the paint was completely dry, I carefully removed the masking tape. There were a few tiny imperfections, but I was able to touch them up with a small brush. I am thinking about the Waterproofing. I’ve heard there are sprays you can use to protect the design from water damage,I think I might look into. Then I would get it!
Overall, I’m pretty stoked with how they turned out! It was a fun project, and now I have a unique pair of shoes that I designed myself. Definitely going to try this again with some different designs.
