Painted Shoes!

One typical day at high school, while sitting in my history class amid the boredom of names, dates, and places to remember, my eyes drifted toward the floor. I noticed my friend's knock-off All-Star shoes under the desk next to mine, and was enthralled by the star-burst pattern on their black background. After class I couldn't resist asking where on earth she got them, only to have my hopes of acquiring some galactic shoes of my own crushed when she said she painted them herself.

"Really?" I was incredulous. "You painted those?"

Well, being the curious artist I am, it wasn't long before I bought a pair of white shoes and got my acrylics out. Since the fabric was porous, I had to apply several layers of paint to gain good coverage, and work in small sections so I could blend before the paint dried. You may be able to avoid my mistake if you use a paint-thinner, such as matte medium, to slow the drying time. Nylon brushes were the best for this project, since they work especially well with acrylic.

As for the over-all composition, I blocked out the flower shapes and painted the background first, so I wouldn't have to worry about messy edges. Covering the elastic parts on either side also kept a clean edge. If you decide to paint your own shoes and find that paint drips over the rubber siding at the bottom, you can wipe it away with wet tissue before it dries and still have that clean craftsmanship. Once you're satisfied with the shoes' appearance, you can spray them down with some water-proofer in a well-ventilated area. The water-proofer doesn't alter the appearance at all, so the shoes can stay shine-free.

If anyone has any other ideas for water proofing or sealing, let me know--I'm always open to new methods!