Art of Custom Sneakers: How to Create One-of-a-Kind Kicks; Paint, Splatter, Dip, Drip, and Color

by Xavier Crews

Create your own one-of-a-kind kicks with painting, drawing, stenciling, and marbleizing techniques from celebrated sneaker customizer Xavier Kickz (aka Xavier Crews).

*Winner of the 2023 Silver Foreword INDIE Book Award*

In Art of Custom Sneakers, Xavier shares his innovative ideas and techniques for prepping, designing, and finishing custom sneakers for everyone.

The book begins with the basics—including tools and materials, workspace setup, prep, finishing, and design planning—then moves on to dozens of incredible customizing projects. Whatever your level of artistic experience, Xavier’s in-depth, step-by-step instructions ensure your success as you start making your own custom kicks. Twenty-eight QR codes to supplemental video instruction offer additional step-by-step guidance.

As you go, gather inspiration from amazing custom sneakers throughout history.

Start with any clean sneaker—whether leather Nike Air Force 1s, or canvas Vans or Converse, or bargain shoes similar to any of these—then add your own personal touches with techniques such as:
 

• Cartoon Style
• Paint Pen Camo
• Sharpie Tie-Dye
• Hydro-Dipped Marbleizing
• Galactic Splatter
• Bedazzled Flash

Stop admiring custom sneakers from afar, and start making your own!

• ISBN13: 9780760381809
• Publish Date: 14 September 2023 (first published 12 September 2023)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Rockport Publishers Inc.
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 160
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Art of Custom Sneakers is a cool tutorial and technique guide for painting custom shoes/sneakers by Xavier Kickz. Released 12th Sept 2023 by Quarto on their Rockport imprint, it's 160 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. 

The author has a popular youtube channel and writes with a very easygoing and encouraging voice. The tutorials are fun, mostly easy to follow (some are more advanced), and full of bright catchy colors. The book, in its entirety is line drawn with color illustrations, but no photography. There are QR links throughout which lead readers to fully filmed tutorial and related technique videos. 

This would be an excellent choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, or gift giving. For readers who also enjoy thrifting and upcycling, this book is a treasure chest *full* of excellent tutorials for upcycling and recycling otherwise unused shoes (and potentially other items like canvas or leather bags and backpacks).

Four and a half stars. Dinged a bit for not having any photos included, but thematically it works and the QR links are only slightly awkward (it was clearly an intentional editorial decision on the part of the author/publisher).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.