From Habitat magazine - issue 31, bright ideas for kids
Grab the kids and some Resene testpots then let your imagination run wild.
Who wouldn't want to show up to play in flash shoes like these? Customise a fresh pair of footwear or fancy up some old favourites – while covering up scuff marks – with nothing more than a few Resene testpots, artist’s brushes and a bit of good quality masking tape.
Grab the kids and some Resene testpots then let your 'magination run wild!
If your kids are little, you can help mask off any of the harder parts – such as around the soles – that you want to keep paint off of and remove laces, if there are any. Show them how they can mask off parts to make straight, clean lines when the tape is removed to create these looks.
Step 1: Remove any laces, if your shoes have any, then mask off any areas of your shoes that you want to keep free of paint. We masked around the edges of our shoe soles, around the inside edges, and some of the smaller details (such as the edging, the elastic portions next to the tongue and the back tabs). If your kids are small, this is a good step to help them with.
Step 2: Use painter’s tape to mask areas of the shoes to create patterns. On one pair, we made a colour blocked herringbone pattern. On another, we created a pattern that spread from the left shoe on to the right shoe. On the others, we chose to let the style of the shoes determine where the colour went. Your kids can keep things even simpler or get as crazy as they’d like. With some imagination and a steady hand, their shoes can easily become favourite animals, book or movie characters or could feature the logo of their favourite spots team.
Top tip: For an artsy splattered look, you can skip masking out a pattern all together and flick paint off of artist’s brushes onto the shoes – though it’s definitely a good idea to do so outside or in the garage with a Resene dropcloth underneath.
Step 3: Use a small, flat artist’s brush to apply your first paint colour to your shoes. We started by using Resene Sunbaked to paint the toes of this pair. Allow the paint to dry to the touch before removing the masking. You can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process.
Step 4: To get your second colour block to meet up with your first colour block, use painter’s tape to mask on top of the first painted section, right along the line. Then, apply your second paint colour using a small, flat artist’s brush. For these shoes, we used Resene Crowdpleaser. Allow the paint to dry to the touch before removing the masking.
Step 5: Repeat Step 4 until you have finished your design, then remove all masking.
Step 6: Allow shoes your shoes to dry and cure overnight if the weather’s nice (or for one week before exposing them to water). We painted the back section of this pair of shoes in Resene King Tide. If any of your paint bleed through your masking, you can always mask it off again to touch up your lines! If any paint bleeds on to the soles, wipe them clean with a damp cloth. If the paint has set but is still fresh, you should be able to removed small bits of newly dried paint from rubber using the edge of your fingernail.
We had fun ‘painting within the lines’ by colour blocking different sections and features of our shoes, but your kids can keep things even simpler or get as crazy as they’d like. With imagination and a steady hand, their shoes can easily become favourite animals, book or movie characters or could feature the logo of their favourite sports team.
We used testpots in Resene Sunbaked, Resene Crowdpleaser, Resene King Tide, Resene Meditation, Resene Bismark, Resene Soulful and Resene Raging Bull to make our kids’ shoes into something special, but there are hundreds of other testpot colours you and your kids can choose from at your local Resene ColorShop or reseller. They can also be purchased online at shop.resene.com/testpots.
Top tip: You can also refresh your own shoes using Resene testpots too. If you have a pair of old heels that you love the design of but the colour doesn't go with the rest of your wardrobe, consider giving them a colourful update with Resene testpots. For colourful heel ideas, visit the Resene Colour of Fashion Gallery.
Visit www.habitatbyresene.com/tips for more great kids’ craft ideas.
Styling Laura Lynn Johnston. Images Bryce Carleton, Ben Whorwood
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Printed copies of habitat highlights are available from late March 2024 at Resene ColorShops and resellers, while stocks last. You can view back issues of habitat magazine online.
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