Introduction: Sneaker Design

About: I am a middle school art teacher. I love teaching kids, and anyone who wants to make art.

To start this project, I ask my students a question, what is art? I continue to discuss how important art is in the world we live in and with out it, how boring it would be. There would be no paintings, sculptures, or museums. In addition, everyone would be driving the same cars, living in the same houses, eating the same foods, and wearing the same SNEAKERS! Oh no!
I then talk about Tinker Hatfield...a designer of many Nike shoes including some Air Jordan’s. For more info see the internet.
This information sets the stage for my “Sneaker Design Project.”

Supplies

Paper
Scissors
Glue
Markers or colored pencils
Access to a printer and or copier

Step 1: The Template

Use this template (enlarge it). You may have to do in in sections depending in the size of paper your printer. This was done on an 8 1/2 x 14 paper.

Step 2:

Begin cutting out your sneaker.

Step 3:

Begin designing on one side of the sneaker. Add stitching for realism.

Hold the sneaker up to a window (so you can trace) to make the sides match.

Then design the sole.

Step 4:

Line up to the tongue to the sneaker so that you can mark where the laces go. Mark both sides and draw in your laces.

Step 5:

Glue the front of the sneaker and the back of the sneaker together.

Then begin coloring. When the coloring is complete fold all the tabs down and fold the sneaker body on all the lines.

Step 6:

Begin gluing. Start at the front of the sneaker. I put a drop of glue on one or two tabs at a time. Spread the glue thin so that it will stick faster. Pull some of the sneaker out as you glue, this makes it easier to hold the tabs in place as they dry.

Step 7:

You are done. One other step... I have my students do is to a small write up about the sneaker. It makes it more fun!