No, I don't actually think the baby will wear these. The baby hasn't actually been born yet, in fact. This is a present for the expecting parents, who hopefully won't notice that some of the robots cross the line from adorable into slightly creepy.
Hey, this is Cam Giblin of LonePinesDesign.com, Evan's new Artkicks designer. "Album Year" were my most challenging pair of Artkicks yet. These shoes include 20+ hours of labor and 19 different album designs. All in all, a fun design though.
Complex albums like "Appetite for Destruction" by Guns 'N' Roses had to be simplified so they would fit on the shoes, but I can safely say those are the tiniest skulls I have ever drawn.
Being asked to replicate a painting on a pair of shoes is a difficult task in any case. When the artist I'm asked to replicate is Paul Cézanne, the master of expressive landscape, I get a little panicky.
I think the final shoes came out well, however. There's a few inconsistencies between my replica and the original, but they're minor. I used over 50 colors, a personal record by far.
- How do I order a pair? Send me an email at evandschultz@gmail.com with your shoe size in Vans (if you know it) and some design ideas. I'll email you back and let you know where we go from there. You can also order through my Etsy store.
- Can you really draw anything on shoes? Yeah, pretty much. Whatever theme or design you have in mind can probably be adapted to a pair of shoes.
- What if my idea is stupid? I promise you, it isn't.
- What if I don't know what I want on my shoes? We can either work together to come up with something or you can take a look at my list of themes I've always wanted to draw on a pair of shoes. Or, if you're feeling really generous, you can give me the gift of complete artistic freedom and turn me loose.
- Can I see some sketches before I agree on the final design? Always. Every Art Kicks client sees at least one set of sketches for approval before we begin drawing on the actual shoes.
- What do you use to draw on the shoes? I use three brands of permanent marker: Sharpie, Staedtler, and Prismacolor. If you represent the marketing department of any of these brands, let's talk.
- Do you spray something on the shoes to protect them? Yes! I finally found something that seals the artwork without causing the marker to bleed. I put two coats of Vans Stain and Water Shield on every pair of shoes I make.
- How well do ArtKicks hold up over time? Surprisingly well. I wouldn't go hiking or jogging in them, but for normal everyday wear, the images last about as well as a commercially printed pair of Vans shoes. EDIT: Recently my dog peed on my Maltese Falcon ArtKicks and I had no choice but to run them through the washing machine. They emerged a tad bit faded but completely recognizable and nothing bled or ran.
- What kinds of shoes can you draw on? I've done Vans slip-ons and authentics (the low-top lace-up), as well as Keds slip-ons and Converse Chucks. If you have a style of shoe in mind and it comes in white canvas, I can probably draw on it.