From the Archive | DIY: Custom Canvas Shoes

Originally posted in June 24, 2012

In the afternoon, I decided to work on a different project - hand-paint a pair of canvas shoes that I don't get to wear much because it's too plain. And I will share how I did it step-by-step.

DIY Custom Canvas Shoes

1. The first thing I did was decide on the design I want. Google images and Pinterest will give you a lot of inspiration photos to choose from. I went for the Aztec print and found this photo thru Pinterest:

 2. Once I've decided on the design, I then got the materials I'll be needing.

What I used:

• Canvas Shoes - I hand-washed them first to make sure that it's clean and ready for painting.
• Paint - I went for Textile paint because I like the finish better than acrylic when it dries up. I've also read that you can use permanent markers as well.
• Pencil/Pens - The pencil is for drafting the design on your shoes before actually painting while the pens are for finishing the whole design for a more detailed look.
• Paint Brushes - I got fine tip brushes for easier detailing.

3. Draft the design you want on your shoes with your pencil first. This way you'll see the design and make the necessary adjustments just in case.

4. Then start painting. :) I got the basic colors of textile paint so I can mix and match easily. Make sure you have newspapers or rugs to take care of paint spills along the way.

5. The textile paint didn't take much time to dry. So I painted by color, alternating each pair.

6. After drying, I used my permanent markers to outline the design I painted and added a few more details.

7. And it's done. :D

Here's how my old boring pair of canvas shoes looked like after: