Do-It-Yourself: Spraying your footwear
Posted by afro chic in Do It Yourself, Spraying footwear
Materials:
Spray paint - you can use regular spray paint in the can.
From my experience this covers MOST materials including suede, and goes on smoothly if your footwear is vinyl or leather/leatherette.
Gloves - to protect your fingers.
If you are not using gloves, the paint comes off easily enough with some soap, water and elbow grease.
Old sheet/cloth - to protect the area you are going to spray.
I try not to use newspaper because the newsprint can come off on your fingers and footwear.
Directions:
Step 1
Tape off the areas you do not want to be sprayed, such as the sole or zip of the boot/sneaker.
Step 2
Begin with a base coat to prep the surface of your footwear.
This step is very important especially if you are attempting to change the colour of your footwear from a dark colour to a lighter colour.
Wait about 15-30 minutes or until the paint feels dry to the touch.
Step 3
Start with your next colour and use steady, overlapping strokes until the surface is covered to your liking.
If you are using two or more colours wait for the spray paint to dry between colours.
Your footwear may require one or more coats for full coverage.
Step 4
You can apply a clear coat of spray to seal/protect your colours.
Step 5
Add your embellishments: gems, braid, fringe, feathers, leg pieces etc.
Tips:
Spray your footwear during the day in natural light, this allows you to see the colour properly and any missed spots.
Before you start to spray, do a test spray on a vertical piece of board. If the paint drips it's not quite ready, so give the spraycan a few more shakes.
Remember to avoid the nozzle getting clogged, turn the spraycan upside down when you are finished to clear the nozzle.
