Turn Plain White Kicks Into Guardians of the Galaxy Sneakers

Wear your fandom on your feet with these hand-decorated sneakers that pay homage to Guardians of the Galaxy.

eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Ready to rock your footwear like a true superhero? Look no further than these DIY ‌Guardians of the Galaxy‌ sneakers, which will impress everyone at the movie theater (or the movie viewing party). We'll show you how to transform an ordinary pair of white sneakers into a colorful, eye-catching work of art that pays homage to Marvel's beloved cast of characters.

Advertisement

Whether you're running away from evil space monsters or just trying to impress your friends with a pair of out-of-this-world kicks, this DIY project will have you feeling like Star-Lord himself. So, grab your Walkman, cue up "Hooked on a Feeling" and let's get started!

Video of the Day

Advertisement

Video: Turn Plain White Kicks Into Guardians of the Galaxy Sneakers

Things You'll Need

  • Plain white canvas sneakers

  • Painter's tape

  • White glue (or Mod Podge)

  • Foam brush

  • Guardians of the Galaxy‌ book or napkins

  • Scissors

  • Utility knife

  • Lacquer

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

The endless possibilities of shoe decoupage

Looking for a way to transform plain sneakers or canvas shoes? You can use our shoe decoupage technique with just about any theme, from super heroes to florals. You're really only limited by what you can find to decoupage: old books, comics, tissue paper, wrapping paper, napkins, you name it!

Part 1: Prepare Sneakers

1. Protect sole of canvas shoes

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Stick painter's tape around the rubber soles of the shoes to protect them from adhesive and lacquer. When you get to the curved parts of each shoe, you might need to cut slits in the tape to help it lie flat.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

2. Remove shoelaces

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Carefully take the shoelaces out of the shoes and set them aside.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Personalize those laces!

We left our shoelaces plain, but you could create Groot shoelaces by adding tiny leaf cutouts to the laces or simply swapping the white shoelaces for neon green or brown ones.

Part 2: Apply Designs

1. Prepare adhesive

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

You can use Mod Podge to attach ‌Guardians of the Galaxy‌ images to your sneakers. Pour a portion of Mod Podge in a bowl or dip a paintbrush directly into the container.

Advertisement

How to make your own Mod Podge

Mod Podge is the go-to sealant for most crafters, but if you don't have any on hand, no sweat! Simply make your own using white glue and water. Grab a small glass bowl, add half a cup of white glue, mix in a few tablespoons of water and mix until complete. Adding water makes glue a bit thinner, so it's easier to apply.

2. Cut out designs

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Grab a sharp utility knife and remove pages from your ‌Guardians of the Galaxy‌ book. Once you've done that, it's time to select images for your shoes and cut them out with scissors.

Advertisement

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Tip

Don't have a book? Themed napkins, wrapping paper or tissue paper are fair game too! They work well because they're thin and pliable.

3. Place designs onto shoe

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

It's time to get artsy and bring your shoe decorating ideas to life! Arrange picture embellishments on each tennis shoe, grab your glue mixture and give the spot a good brush. Place the picture and paint another layer of glue over the top. Continue until you've covered the whole shoe.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Let the shoes dry for 24 hours before completing the next step.

Tip

You'll be overlapping images to create a cool collage, so save the best pics for last. Don't forget to include text from the book. Don't be afraid to paste images over the shoe eyelets (aka where the shoelaces go). You can remove the extra bits of paper from the eyelets once everything dries.

Part 3: Seal Shoes

1. Clean up shoe eyelets

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Grab your trusty utility knife and use caution as you slice around each eyelet to remove the paper.

Advertisement

2. Seal shoes

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Before you spray lacquer to seal the decorated shoes, stuff paper inside the shoes so spray doesn't affect the shoes' interior. Grab a box, head to a well-ventilated spot and spray away! Leave the shoes alone for 24 hours to dry.

Advertisement

3. Remove tape

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

When the shoes are completely dry, delicately peel the tape from the soles. Cut the tape where the sole meets the canvas using a sharp utility knife to prevent the tape from pulling off the designs.

Advertisement

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

Tip

If a pair of flat sneakers doesn't give you superpowers, no worries! This same shoe makeover technique can be used on flip-flops, slip-ons, high-tops and even high heels. If you’re a bona fide superhero fan, you could even decorate your wedding shoes!

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

And that's all there is to it! Your hand-decorated sneakers are complete.

Image Credit: Beth Huntington

With a pair of ‌Guardians of the Galaxy‌ shoes on your feet, you'll be drawing compliments around every bend. These DIY sneakers are not only fun and comfy but they also provide a totally original way to show your love for the Marvel universe. So, put on your favorite mix tape, slip on your DIY shoes and get ready to save the galaxy in style.

Looking for another wearable craft project? Try our oversized crochet scrunchie tutorial to give your hairstyle an extra pop of style and color!

Advertisement