DIY Night: OMG, Shoes!

image via the beauty of traveling

If you are looking for an excuse to snag a cheap pair of white sneaks, art supplies and snacks for a little DIY project, this is it! Let us guide you through this super-fun and surprisingly simple DIY project.

First up: Find the pair of shoes you want to paint. You’ll want to make sure they’re made of canvas so that the paint will adhere to them, but you can choose any style you like. Finding a cheap pair from your local thrift store is always an option. If not, here are a couple of our favorites, both of which can be found at Target for under $15!

Universal Thread Lunea Canvas Apparel Sneakers ($14.99, shop here)

A New Day Millie Twin Gore Apparel Sneakers ($14.99, shop here)

Next step: Gather your supplies. At this point, the materials you buy are based solely on how serious you’re taking this project. But if you’re going for quality, here’s what you’ll need:

1. A thin primer to prepare the surface of your shoes
2. Acrylic paints
3. An acrylic paint thinner to apply over the paint to prevent it from cracking
4. Painter’s tape (to protect the soles from excess paint drips or spills)
5. Paint pens, if you plan on adding extra details

Next, plan out what you want to paint. (Maybe give it a shot on paper first so that you have a vision.) It can be as simple or as detailed as you want! If you don’t have a ton of experience painting on canvas, it’s not a bad idea to start simple. But if you want to channel your inner Van Gogh, by all means! Before you begin painting, be sure to tape off any areas you don’t want to get paint on.

Our best advice is:

1. Make sure your primer goes on nice and thin
2. Allow primer and paint to dry before adding details with paint pens
3. Use a hair dryer to help things dry a little faster as you go
4. If you “mess up,” you can always wait for that section to dry, add some primer, then paint over it
5. Have fun!

Need some more inspiration? Take a look at some of our favorite DIY shoe-painting examples:

(image via the beauty of traveling)

(image via wonderful diy)

(image via etsy)