The Art of Sketching Sneakers: Unlock Your Design Creativity
In the beginning,
it took me very long to figure out how to draw sneakers.
I was trying to guess a miracle method through infinite trial and error.
I remember how I could copy existing shoes,
but I came to create my own from imagination, I was lost.
How to Sketch Unlimited Creative Sneakers with Morpholio Trace | iPAD
- INTRODUCTION
- Before Starting | Get your 37 Shoe Designers Secrets BOOK!
- 1. Always draw a shoe template first (also called Shoe Last)
- Fill your page of shoe templates to invite abundance of ideas
- 2. Draw the upper of the shoe
- 3. Dare to be special
- 4. Express emotions with your lines
- 5. Think users' needs
- 6. Details of the shoe
- 7. Coloring the sneaker
- Conclusion
- BONUS: Get your FREE Sneaker book
INTRODUCTION
You could be a sneaker enthusiast or a professional Footwear designer,
Today we unlock your shoe design creativity drawing with the app MORPHOLIO TRACE on iPAD
You do not have to reinvent the wheel.
Learn the basics of drawing shoes first, so you can become truly creative!
Before Starting | Get your 37 Shoe Designers Secrets BOOK!
CLICK HERE: Get the 37 Secrets of Sneaker Designers (FREE BOOK) – ✏️THE DESIGN SKETCHBOOK
VIDEO SPEED-UP DEMO WITHOUT MY VOICE
1. Always draw a shoe template first (also called Shoe Last)
When you come and sit on your desk, and stare at your blank page – it can feel daunting.
To overcome this in shoe designing, start drawing multiple ‘shoe last’ first!
Start drawing the shoe template
The shoe last is a template or mold around which shoes are fashioned.
You can also see it as a simplification of the human foot.
Fill your page of shoe templates to invite abundance of ideas
For this video, I start drawing multiple shoe last from different angles just to fill up the page!
I actually prepare my brain for receiving creativity!
That sneaker page done, it will “force me” to do not settle on one idea today – but jump from a concept to another.
CLICK HERE: Get the 37 Secrets of Sneaker Designers (FREE BOOK) – ✏️THE DESIGN SKETCHBOOK
Use the shoe last to design your shoe with good proportion
This step is the foundation.
Drawing multiple “shoe lasts” stimulates creativity by providing
a solid base for unlimited possibilities for new designs.
The better you master the proportion and the form of the ‘shoe last’, the better you get for a great design.
2. Draw the upper of the shoe
Do not spend more than 2 to 5 minutes per shoe
Sketching sneakers is typically fast paced; each sketch usually takes about two to five minutes.
You purposely try to spend no more than a few minutes and let new ideas flow. I show below how to provoke them.
The goal initially is not perfection but exploration
– prioritizing quantity over quality broadens our chances of striking gold with innovative ideas.
Explore new heels, new constructions and components
This iterative approach begins with generating various ideas
before narrowing them down to one or a few proposals that stand out from others.
Know your basic shoe components and vocabulary
The more you know your basic footwear components and vocabulary, the more flexible your creativity.
A typical sneaker consists of several unique components such as:
- the heel cap,
- U-throat,
- laces,
- tongue,
- toe cap,
- quarter (the side panels), and outsole…
Each element serves a specific purpose but also offers opportunities for customization –
playing with these parts allows us to invent fresh designs.
Quantity of ideas matters to reach Quality
Break the rules!
3. Dare to be special
Don’t love your first idea, love the creative journey!
Remember that often, the first idea may be Toxic. Yes, they can be great! But in Design Sketching, we trust the process to come up with multiple ideas first, so you can squeeze your creative juice from your brain!
At start, go wild! Don’t think too much if it is possible or not.
To stand out from the crowd,
you need to draw shoe designs differently from others.
At the early stage, do not think too much about what is possible or not.
Remember that daring proposals are memorable
and can make you shine amongst other designers!
Dare to draw thinking out of the box!
Take inspiration from your recent memory
If your inspiration is dry, try to remember something cool you saw recently.
For me, it was a video about that ocean turtle people came to save her from Barnacles. The pattern is intriguing, so I decided to use it fro my creation.
If you go wrong, redo. That is ok.
We call this iteration.
Sketches also serve as efficient communication tools
among colleagues or clients during brainstorming sessions speeding up decision-making processes.
What if the shoe is half organic and robotic!
I also watched the movie Chappy and thought I could play with the design codes for a crazy outsole!
Inspiration for new designs might be closer than you think!
As a designer, you take the habit of observing your surroundings and grab inspiration anywhere you go.
You may look at your recent experiences or memories.
They could be integrated into your designs creating something truly personal and unique.
4. Express emotions with your lines
Drawing techniques like expressing different emotions through your lines
might bring out unique perspectives in your sketches too!
Try to draw following your emotions.
If you feel grumpy, the line quality of your sketch will be tight, maybe more “stressed”.
However, if you want a gentle design, you gotta switch your mood to peace and draw with soft lines.
5. Think users’ needs
Identify a Core Function for Your Shoe
To come up with a quality design for a shoe, designers search for user’s needs.
For instance, a designer might add extra material to a tennis shoe on the side, to block lateral movements in tennis, enhancing player performance.
Find a Visual Reference to Convey your “Shoe Side Support” Idea
Now I set the support need on the side of the shoe, it is time to decide on how I want to translate it visually. To respond to that function I imagine a tough wall, a tough wall made of stone, then an Agile wall of stone lie the 4 Fantastic Hero!
So, I roughly sketch some big blocks on the side.
The secret is to come up with a CREATIVE LINK to an unexpected reference!
REMEMBER: While sketching, maintaining correct proportions is crucial for realistic results;
using the actual shoe as a guide helps ensure this accuracy.
6. Details of the shoe
When you come up with your overall sneaker design, it is now time for the Zen phase.
The Zen phase in designing allows designers time to contemplate their ideas, and refine small details.
Draw Details on a Separate Layer
Add some reflection on glossy area
Add logo, notes, tags… to add a real dimension to your footwear design
To finalize your sketch, you can add cosmetic details such as
- tags or notes,
- serial numbers,
- words,
- or brands to enhance realism even further.
7. Coloring the sneaker
Quick tools that allow painting or coloring speed up the process while creating volume and depth in your sketches. You could borrow color palettes from flags or fashion trends… for an added creative boost!
Identify creative spot of attention of your shoe
Colour with a Cell shading method
Explore existing color palettes
Study Color theory with the color wheels
Finally, remember that quick sketching not only creates realistic portrayals
but also generates numerous design ideas.
Conclusion
Remember, the journey of designing sneakers is not just about creating something visually appealing but also about letting your creativity flow freely.
Here’s what you should take away:
- Start with the Basics: Drawing a shoe template or ‘last’ is your foundation. It’s like building your design on solid ground, allowing for endless possibilities.
- Mastering the basics of shoe proportions will give you the confidence to innovate.
- Explore and Iterate: Don’t aim for perfection right away. Sketch lots of ideas quickly. It’s through this exploration that you’ll discover unique and special designs that could set you apart.
- Express Yourself: Let your emotions guide your lines. Whether it’s happiness, frustration, or peace, your mood can influence the design’s character. Your sketches are a direct extension of you, so embrace your emotions in your work.
- Think of the User: Always consider the needs of the person who will wear your shoe. Designing with their needs in mind ensures your creations are not only beautiful but also functional and practical.
- Enjoy the Zen Phase: Take time to refine the small details. This is where your design truly comes to life. Adding tags, notes, or even color can make your sketch pop and feel more real.
- Get Inspired Everywhere: Inspiration is all around you. From your latest adventures to everyday objects, let your surroundings fuel your creativity.
So, grab your pen, or your iPad with Morpholio Trace, and start sketching today!
Every line, every sketch, brings you closer to that special design that will make you shine in the world of footwear design.
And remember, if you need a little boost, the ’37 Secrets of Sneaker Designers’ book is up for grabs.
Let’s make those sneakers not just a shoe, but a piece of art that tells a story.
Keep sketching, keep dreaming, and most importantly, keep having fun with your designs!
Software: Morpholio Trace on iPAD
BONUS: Get your FREE Sneaker book
Grab your pen and start exploring this fascinating world of sneaker designs today!
And if you need some guidance along the way – ’37 Secrets of Sneaker Designers’ book is available for download absolutely free!
LEARN MORE ABOUT SNEAKER DESIGNS
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