How To Heat Set Fabric Paint On Shoes

Sail is the safest, cheapest, easiest, and most common material that customizers piece of work on. That is why we at Just1 Shoes decided to comport DIY custom shoe kits for canvas first. All of the materials needed are non-toxic, which was of import to u.s.a. because we want to inspire creativity in kids. Equally is for all of our standards, nosotros will first tell y'all what materials you demand, then go over the 3P'due south (preparation, painting, and preservation), listing our tips, include links to useful videos, then have links to where y'all can buy products (and view prices).

For some corking projection ideas, visit our How-To-Projects section.

Materials

Canvas shoes
Primer (gesso)
Acrylic paint
Palette
Finisher

Brushes
Palette
Painter's tape
Cup of h2o*
Paper towels*

Optional

Pigment or fabric pens*
Stencils*
Airbrush*

two-soft or gac900 (for Angelus)*

*not included in our kits

Training

Before you start and projection yous should brand sure the shoes are clean or new. Shoe cleaners we recommend are Reshovn8r, Angelus Shoe Cleaner, and Jason Markk. Later that, utilize painter's masking tape (or vinyl tape) to mask off the areas you lot don't want to go paint. We advise you mask the soles since any pigment on the rubber volition crevice, wipe off easily, and/or smudge. If you are kind of messy or are using an airbrush, y'all will likewise need to mask off the sock liner area and the elastic band areas. In contrast, if you are extra careful and using a brush, you can skip masking.

Shoe with sole masked off.

There is no preparation for fabric paints, so you tin move onto the next section if yous are using those. Textile paints we recommend are Jacquard brand Textile, Dye-Na-Flow, Neopaque, or Lumiere lines. Also, DecoArt Sosoft fabric pigment is good for the budget-minded. The Jacquard Textile and DecoArt Sosoft lines will keep your canvas as soft as possible (meaning, it doesn't stiffen the material).

For Angelus paints, there are two methods you can employ. If you have white shoes you can first lay downward ii layers of (one:1 mix) flat white+gac900. Then, but pigment on it with normal Angelus paints. Rick from Salvage the Panduhs video here using this method. If you have a darker shoe, yous may prefer to mix 1:1 of two-soft or gac900 with each of the colors y'all plan on using. Nosotros recommend Angelus over all other paints because of their staying power and awesome colour choices.

If you are airbrushing, use Jacquard Airbrush Colors or the aforementioned one:one Angelus mix. For Angelus, at that place is no need for 2-thin since the 2-soft or gac900 should take thinned the pigment out enough to spray. But, if you find it'due south not spraying easily, feel free to add some two-sparse.

If you are using acrylic paints (our kits come with acrylics) you will need to first prime the canvas. Applying a thin layer (no clumping) of gesso volition let better adhesion betwixt the sheet and the paint and also prevent dandy. Acrylic paint brands we recommend are Sargent Fine art, Golden Artist Colors, and Liquitex. You can observe them at any art store. Please avoid the cheapest paints because they will ruin your work. Permit to dry before painting.

Applying a thin layer of gesso before using acrylics.

Example of cracks from using acrylic pigment on canvas that was not primed commencement.

Painting

For a new person painting on customs the first thing y'all should realize is that yous volition need to paint in thin layers. Y'all tin can't simply paint once and be done. We recommend you do 2-four layers, depending on how well your paint is laying down and the colors you lot're using (low-cal colors or neons may require more layers). Using thin layers will keep your pigment from clumping and cracking. Don't be alarmed if the first layer you apply is blotchy or has tiny gaps showing. As you add more layers the colors volition soak in evenly and gaps will be filled. Below is an example of what it looks like every bit you add more layers. Find that subsequently the first layer you can nonetheless encounter the red in the background. After the 2d layer you tin even so see carmine but after the third layer you can't run into red at all in those areas.

Case of 1, 2, and 3 layers of white paint on tiptop of red.

In order to use thin layers, don't glob the paint onto your brush. Just pull up enough then y'all tin can do a few swipes. Utilize the brush equally a spreading tool with the goal of making the paint utilize thinly and evenly. You can apply a hair dryer or heat gun between coats to go far dry faster. Be conscientious not to make it too hot or the paint may burn and change color.

I similar to start out with big brushes to practice large areas and then use smaller or angled brushes near edges. It'due south a adept idea to reserve 1-2 hours at the terminate of painting to clean upwardly all of the detailed edges (after removing the masking tape). If you used a stencil, clean up is crucial for getting those crisp lines and perfect images.

Now that you're washed painting you will need to let it dry. If you used cloth paint or an Angelus mix you will need to use a hair dryer or heat gun to heat-ready the paint into the canvas. Exist conscientious not to burn the paint with the estrus gun.

Preservation

Applying 1-two thin layers of finisher volition protect your artwork, waterproof your shoes, and make them scuff resistant. If you used gesso + acrylics, nosotros recommend you use brush-on finisher over a spray because you have more control and guaranteed coverage of every area. We suggest Angelus Acrylic Finisher, DecoArt Matte Medium (comes in our kits), and Liquitex Matte Medium. Exercise non use Sargent Art Matte Medium, we found it leaves streaks. If you used cloth paint, we recommend you use an aerosol spray because it will soak into the canvas better. Besides, if you lot use brush-on finisher at that place is a take a chance the cloth paint will bleed. Brands we trust are Treehouse Matte Articulate Acrylic Coating and Krylon Matte Finisher. Tip: before spraying, always milkshake the canister and do a few sprays abroad from the shoe considering it sometimes the liquid settles and gives a foggy effect for the first few sprays, which will ruin your shoes.

The nearly popular finisher type is matte finish, but you lot tin can too use gloss or satin finishes. For gloss we recommend Sargent Art Gloss Finisher brush on or Krylon Crystal Clear spray on. For a satin expect we recommend Angelus Satin Acrylic Finisher.

Difference between finishes. Taken from the Angelus webpage.

Allow your finisher to dry at least ii hours only preferably 24 hours.

If you desire a fresh layer of protection, use Crep Protect one time every few wears or if they've been on the shelf for longer than two months.

Canvas customs from left to correct by @7maryart, @shopgigicustoms, @vanimesole, and @artistslair.

Tips

Outset with lighter colors because darker colors are amend to utilise for bear upon-upward. If you lot are airbrushing a fade, you should use dark colors kickoff considering overspray from dark colors will ruin your light colors if laid down later on.
Thin layers are better. Thick layers can lead to the paint groovy, so put just enough pigment on your brush to spread thin onto the canvas textile. If it dries with tiny gaps or faded looking colors information technology's ok, yous tin can put on more sparse layers until it looks uniform.
Now is a good opportunity to get used to different brushes, angles, and brush strokes. For large areas, utilize the biggest castor you have, simply make sure you are spreading it evenly and not besides thick. Angle brushes are perfect for doing fades. Fades tin can be achieved by using 2 brushes with the paints you want to fade and blending them into each other. Make sure the paint you are trying to blend is still wet. Flat brushes are great for edges and everything else.
It's a good idea to pigment across the toe box (in the across-the-toes direction) considering that area flexes more than anywhere else on the shoe. Having the paint flex in the same direction every bit the shoe volition reduce chances of great. If your pattern doesn't lend itself to painting across-the-toes don't worry about information technology, it's a minimal consequence.
Use those detail brushes at the end. The key to a professional looking shoe is having clean edges, artwork, and images.
Excess paint on the soles tin can be cleaned upwardly with acetone (nail smoothen remover) or isopropyl booze and a cotton swab or q-tip.
Proper brush care will extend the life of your brushes. Don't allow the paint to dry on the castor. Always put information technology in some water and rinse it around. If you lot are switching colors, repeatedly rinse until naught comes off while drying your brush on a paper towel. After you are done working, brushes tin can be washed using a brush cleaner (we recommend Masterbrush Cleaner), soapy water, or shampoo. Practice not store your brushes head-downwards or in water or solvent.
Your palette can be washed with soap and water and used again!

Commodity and Video Links

If yous want to apply stencils read our other article here.
Commodity on using Pens on Canvas here (coming soon).
Article on using an airbrush here (coming soon).
For some great projection ideas, visit our How-To-Projects
Honestly, for the most part customizing on canvas YouTube videos are garbage because it'southward a lot of amateurs using the wrong paints, pens, and processes. Exercise non trust them. They are making shoes that only look proficient until you lot actually clothing them.
Angelus trusted video by Rick from Save the Panduhs with an Avengers: Infinity War custom.
Angelus video of Chadcantcolor showing how to fade with a brush.

Production Links (and Retail Prices)

Just1 Shoes DIY Custom Shoes Kit ($75)
Shoe Cleaners
- Reshovn8r ($12.98)
- Angelus Shoe Cleaner ($fourteen.85)
- Jason Markk ($16)
Jacquard Paint
- Airbrush Color ($4.75, 4oz)
- Dye-Na-Period (starts at $4.19, 2.25oz)
- Neopaque ($v.25, ii.25oz)
- Lumiere ($5.25, 2.25oz)
Angelus Paint ($2.95, 1oz)
Oestrus Gun, Furno 300 ($19.98)
Finishers
- Matte brush-on
  - Angelus Acrylic Finisher ($4.07, 4oz)
  - DecoArt Matte Medium ($4.75, ii.5oz)
  - Liquitex Matte Medium ($11.17, 8oz)
- Matte spray tin can
  - Treehouse Matte Clear Acrylic Coating ($v.99, 11oz)
  - Krylon Matte Finisher ($ten.67, 11oz)
- Gloss brush on
  - Sargent Art Gloss Finisher ($5.00, 2oz)
- Gloss spray can
  - Krylon Crystal Articulate (9.04, 6oz)
- Satin castor-on
  - Angelus Satin Acrylic Finisher ($4.07, 4oz)
- Continuous protection
  - Crep Protect ($14.99, 11oz)
- Masterbrush Cleaner ($eight.71, 2.5oz)