A New Step

Painting custom shoes has become not just a hobby of mine, but a fun addition to my artistic repertoire. My husband asked me back when we were dating if I could paint a pair of white Jordan 1s for him. I thought it was a cool idea so I took the shoes and kept them in my closet for well over a year. The project was always in the back of my mind but I never found the time for it until a couple weeks ago. I realized there was no better time than right then to start a new artistic path, so I jumped right in. I did some research on the shoe painting process, ordered some leather acrylic paint on Amazon, and got to work. After three days of hard-core shoe painting, my first pair of customs were finally complete. I revealed the finished product to Jay after keeping the design a surprise and his reaction was incredible. I knew this was something I could continue doing for a while. The painting process is so fun and the reactions I’ve gotten have kept me motivated.

The process, I’ve learned, is lengthy but rewarding. If you’ve read the section about my process on my “Custom Shoes” page then you may have gotten that sense too. Leather acrylic paint is much thinner than the paint I’m used to working with, so I have to use at least two coats. With white paint, I have to use at least four. While I wait for a coat to dry, I try to hop around in the section I’m working on. Once everything is dry, I use a larger brush to apply the clear acrylic finisher, which functions as a water-resistant top coat. The result is a pair of shoes that reflects the owner’s style (and a bit of mine) that can be with them wherever they go.

I can’t wait to see what else is in store for this new step in my business! I think it’s safe to say that I’ve become a sneakerhead just like my husband.