Custom Painting Nike Air force 1s – 90’s Style
Watch me paint, not one, but…TWO 90’s inspired designs on one pair of sneakers.
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For some reason, Nike Air Force 1’s always remind me of being a kid in the 90s.
So, that’s what inspired my design for this pair of sneakers. Or I guess I should say designs plural since for some reason I painted two completely different throwback designs on one pair of Air Force 1’s.
The ’90s were a decade of neon colors, loud prints, and dial-up internet. And with all things 90’s making a resurgence (and making me feel old), I thought, why not get a little inspiration from my more youthful days?
Prepping the Air Force 1’s for Painting
Step 1 of the custom shoe painting process was wiping the sneakers down with a leather deglazer. Removing the factory finish helps the paint adhere to the shoes better.
As a newb in the shoe customization world, I went with the crowd favorite Angelus Leather Preparer and Deglazer and it did the job.
Time to Start Painting the Sneakers!
Custom painting sneakers took a lot more patience than I was expecting. To really get the colors poppin’ and free of streaks, layers are definitely needed. This is especially true when working with neon colors.
I ended up using Angelus Leather Paints for this custom shoe project and I was super impressed by the wide selection of colors available and mixability to get even more shades.
The Inspiration Behind Custom Shoe Design #1
For the first shoe design, I wanted to go with random 90s prints. Think of a mix between Lisa Frank and Saved by the Bell. I wanted to use bright colors and create a shoe Zach Morris would have been proud to sport.
Painting this particular shoe actually went pretty smoothly. Other than being semi-time-consuming painting in the tiny triangles- things progressed nicely.
That’s more than I can say about the second shoe design…
What’s the deal with the second custom Air Force 1 design?
The inspo behind the second shoe design was a Rubik’s Cube. Yes, Rubik's Cubes span the generations, starting with the 80s, but they were still very much a thing in the ’90s, as well.
I started by painting the sections where the cubes would be black. My thoughts were that I could then use thin tape to create the blocks while still being able to have a straight, skinny line between them.
Well… that turned out to be an utter failure. When it came time for the big tape reveal, it was nothing but disappointment. The tape totally pulled up the black paint, so there were no clean lines to be had.
The touch-ups took longer than painting the whole shoe!
After all was said and done, I think these Nike Air Force 1’s play a decent tribute to my childhood. Never mind the fact that they are not a matching pair and I can’t wear them anywhere.
Or can I…?
Drop me a comment and let me know which pair you think came out best! And then…