So, I’ve been wanting to customize my sneakers for a while, and I finally took the plunge with my old pair of Air Max. I wanted something simple, just a classic gray and white look. Nothing too flashy, you know?
Getting Started
First, I gathered my materials. I already had the shoes, obviously. Then I went to the store and picked up some:
- Angelus brand leather paint in gray and white
- Some paint brushes (a couple of different sizes for details and larger areas)
- Masking tape
- A matte finisher
Prep Work is Key
Before I even thought about painting, I cleaned the shoes thoroughly. I just used some soapy water and an old toothbrush to scrub away any dirt or grime. Gotta have a clean canvas, right? Then I let them dry completely.
Next up was the taping. This part was kinda tedious, but super important. I carefully masked off all the areas I didn’t want to paint, like the soles and the little Air Max logo. Took me a while, but I wanted to make sure I got those lines crisp.
Time to Paint!
Now for the fun part! I started with the gray paint, applying thin, even coats. The key is to be patient. Don’t try to do it all in one thick coat, or it’ll look gloppy. I did about three coats of gray, letting each coat dry completely before starting the next. It’s looks better this way.
Once the gray was all done and dry, I carefully removed the tape from the areas I wanted to be white. Then, I repeated the process with the white paint – thin coats, letting each one dry.
Finishing Touches
After all the paint was dry (I waited a good 24 hours to be sure), I applied a matte finisher. This helps protect the paint and gives it a nice, even look. I just brushed it on, same as the paint, and let it dry.
And that’s it! My custom gray and white Air Max are done. They’re not perfect, but I’m pretty happy with how they turned out. It was a fun little project, and now I have a unique pair of kicks.
