How to Airbrush Designs on Sneakers Step-By-Step

As any kid can tell you, it doesn't get much better than a new pair of sneakers. The trick to creating a great airbrush design on sneakers is, first, to be sure that you are using fabric paint specially formulated for airbrush work. A clogged tip can really ruin your day-and your airbrush. With that accomplished, all you really need is a plan and a few other very inexpensive tools (free, even).

Things You'll Need

• Plain, white sneakers (or other pair you want to paint)
• Airbrush
• Fabric paint (made for use with airbrush)
• Masking tape
• Plain, brown paper, or, white tissue paper
• Paper towels
• Jar of water (for cleaning up)
• Cleaning fluid for your airbrush
• To Make Templates:
• Scissors or crafting knife
• Masking tape, adhesive, sticky-backed paper, or other type template suitable for your design
• Found object templates (optional)

Instructions

Getting Ready

1. 

   Put a Mask on Your Shoes

   Prepare your area for painting by laying down newspaper to protect the surface of your work table. Layer several full sheets to give yourself plenty of space to work. Have some paper towels and a jar of water ready for quick clean ups as well as your paint and airbrush tools. Remove the laces from both sneakers, and grab the masking tape. You'll want to begin by "masking off", or shielding, all areas of the sneakers that you are not going to paint in your design.

2. To start masking, begin with a few basic areas that are not usually painted in most design plans. Cut a few short strips of masking tape, 1-3" long, as needed, and apply the strips firmly to: a) the bottom tread, or sole, of the shoes, b) the rubber strips along the outer bottom edge of your shoes (take care to press the tape into the seam evenly), and c) the underside of the tongue, inside the shoe (sticky side facing up). Once you have shielded these areas, cut two strips of tape about 3" long and apply, sticky side up, to the inside of the shoe, beneath the line of eyelets (holes for laces). To protect the metal eyelets on the top of the shoe, cut very small circles of tape and apply them firmly to each eyelet (see Tips).

3. Finally, to protect the inside of the shoes, cut a few strips to secure around the top inside edge of the shoe opening (where you put your foot). Because the edge of the tape is going to create the edge for the paint, you'll want to be sure that those edges are clean, even, and firmly secured to the shoe. When you have masked off all the areas needed, use strips of plain, brown paper, or white tissue paper to fill the insides of both shoes completely and as fully as possible.

4. If you would like to paint an overall background color, prepare your airbrush, following manufacturer's instructions, using a fine to medium spray, and lay a coat of the desired color evenly over the exposed, unmasked, part of the shoe. Set the shoe aside and repeat with the other shoe. Let dry.

5. A very skilled hand can airbrush two, nearly identical, free-hand designs, one on each shoe, but using templates can make this task much, much easier. Pre-cut paper and plastic motif templates are available in most craft supply stores and can be used in airbrush work. A good hand-made template, however, can also be made using light cardboard, adhesive-backed decorating paper, or, even wide masking tape. To make one, simply draw or trace a design motif that you like on the paper and cut out the areas that you want to airbrush with a scissors or craft knife. Apply the template firmly to the area of the sneaker that you want to paint. See Tips for a few more ideas on using and making templates.

6. To use a non-adhesive template, you will need to hold the template firmly down on the shoe surface while airbrushing the design. A pair of light, latex gloves can come in handy here. Choose which element that you want to airbrush, set the template in place, and spray. To insure some balance, spray each element on both shoes before continuing to the next motif. Continue aribrushing your elements until you have finished your design. Let the shoes dry completely. Remove all masking tape and paper-and lace up your brand new shoes.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan your design before painting and test template work on a sheet of paper to insure better quality of your finished project.

• Substitute a pair of colorful laces to match your design.

• Sticky reinforcement circles (the kind usually used for the holes in notebook paper in a binder), can be used to protect the eyelets.

• If you would like rough edges, tear the masking tape, lengthwise, and apply it to the sneaker instead of cutting the tape.

• Templates for sneaker designs can be made out of almost anything small and disposable. Look in your kitchen junk drawer for small, found metal, wood, plastic or cardboard objects. Metal washers, for example, make excellent ring designs. Pieces of screening or lace can provide a lovely textured effect.

• Use only a plain paper that does not bleed when wet to mask sneakers.

• Clean your airbrush according to manufacturer's instructions after each use to avoid damaging your tool.

• Wear gloves to protect fingers when working with templates (hair coloring gloves are ideal).

• Work in a well-ventilated area when airbrushing.