How to Airbrush Shoes

The trick to airbrushing designs on shoes comes down to masking. Masking is a method in airbrushing where the artist covers up the areas of their work surface that they do not wish to paint. For shoes, this usually includes the inside and the rubber soles. Although skilled airbrushing takes a lot of experimentation and practice, you can create basic designs easily through masking.

Things You'll Need

• Shoes
• Newspaper
• Acrylic paint
• Can of compressed air
• Airbrush
• Masking Tape
• Face mask
• Acrylic sealer

Instructions

1. Remove the shoe laces and set them to one side.

2. Cover the rubber soles of your shoes and the metal rings around the lace holes in masking tape.

3. Stuff newspapers into the shoes. Place some of the paper over the tongues if you do not wish to paint them. Make sure that the newspaper completely covers the inside of your shoes.

4. Set up a well-ventilated workspace. Lay newspaper across the ground and place your shoes on top of them. Don your face mask.

5. Connect the hose of your airbrush to a can of compressed air and fill the pigment cup with acrylic paint. Press on the airbrush’s trigger to spray your shoes. If you have a higher-end airbrush you can vary the width of your line by applying more or less pressure to the trigger. Avoid making the layer of paint too thick.

6. Rinse out the pigment cup and the airbrush. Dry it off and fill it with another color of paint. Mask a simple shape on your shoes with masking tape, covering the areas you do not want to paint. Spray the remaining surface.

7. Rinse out your airbrush again, this time more thoroughly.

8. Spray the shoes with UV resistant non-yellowing acrylic spray. Allow the shoes to dry, testing them every half hour to see if the paint is still tacky.

9. When the shoes are finally dry, remove the tape and newspaper and insert the shoelaces again.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not inhale the spray fumes, and stand upwind of your object if you are outside.

References

• "Airbrush;" Parramon’s Editorial Team; 2004
• "All About Techniques in Airbrush;" Barron; 2002