On April 29th, Fab posted a very inspiring "Guess Who" that featured an absolutely gorgeous pair of painted wedges.
04/29/2008: Fab posted this gorgeous pair of designer wedges. Sale price $413.00
The sale price was still a bit too rich for my blood but - still - I felt inspired and set about to create my own, artful pair of hand-painted wedges. As luck would have it, I got very busy with work and didn't get to Payless to pick up the canvas shoes that I needed to start this project until this past Sunday. Yes!!! They were on sale and it [really] doesn't get much better than that.
The original American Eagle Liddy Canvas Wedge purchased at Payless Shoe Source on sale for $19.99
Once I took a look at the shoes I was a bit concerned. The canvas uppers are great - not a problem. But the faux cork wedge is of a composite material that had a hand much like synthetic rubber. Unless you're using paint, specifically designed for plastic, this creates a very serious issue with durability of the finished design.
With this in mind I painted the canvas uppers a bright fuschia. I used textile paint but, honestly, any acrylic paint would do. Since the finish on the soles was still intact it made clean up easy and I was able to wipe away any errant brush marks with a dampened cloth.
I let the painted uppers dry over night as I considered the issue with the soles. What I needed to do was mar the somewhat shiny satin finish - just enough to create a tooth in the material - and I was sincerely hoping that the raw product would be a bit porous in order to hold the paint.
First I tried using a 3M scouring pad. This definitely degraded the finish but the printed "cork" was still a bit too dark for my tastes and I didn't feel that the material was degraded or porous enough to hold the media. 120 grit sandpaper proved to be the perfect fix. With a light hand I distressed the covering just enough to open the pores of the material and lighten the cork printing.
Once this was done to suit my personal tastes, I wiped them down with a damp cloth, dried them well, and tested my Prisma Color markers in an inconspicuous place. The art gods were with me because the marker took to the material and, once dry, was permanent despite repeated and agressive rubbing with micro fiber cloth. Yes! Ladies, I was in business and in less than an hour later I had my very own swanky sweet pair of artful wedges!
My finished work: View 1
My finished work: View 2
My finished work: View 3
My finished work: Detail 1
My finished work: Detail 2
So please tell me true: What do you think of my artfully painted wedges?
The total ticket, if I were starting from scratch and had no supplies or brushes, was less than $40.00. Here's a helpful list of materials you'll want to pick up to create your own. Just don't forget the sandpaper: 120 grit. 
Gorgeous
omg i want them ALL
1Very cool!!!! You've got your own original wearable art for about an hour's worth of work, and a fraction of the price. That is sooo cool! Don't be surprised if you get requests to sell them either live, here, or through etsy. Awesome!!!!!
2thanks so much ladies.
tdsollog: the total time was about 2.5 hours. painting the uppers was just a bit involved because i really wanted to keep the mess to a minimum. still, all things considered, it was a bargain and i am very happy [and proud] of how they came out.
3These are so adorable! Nice work
4I think I see your own line of shoes in the near future. These turned out really great! I am sooooooo wanting to do this project now. Maybe over the weekend I will have time to sit down and do this. So, your prismacolor pens worked well? I have a huge set of them to use.
Nice work Miss Fairy Creative GodMother!
5Wren, Margs! Thanks so much.
The Prisma color markers work perfectly and, as I said, I tested it [in an inconspicuous place] by wetting a micro-fiber cloth and rubbing very briskly. They are permanent to be sure. Be warned: I didn't use any detergent in the test but the really great thing is that you can touch them up as needed. No worries with this project [at all].
BTW: If anyone else decides to take this on, please post them to the group. I am dying to see what you all come up with!
6That is amazing! I would have never thought of that! Is that your ambition? Shoe design or something in the designing field?
7So chic & fun! I would pay good money for those shoes too (like $100 -110. yes I love shoes,lol.) Fab result!!
8Robinesque and leeluvfashion: Thank you so much for your kind comments. I really do appreciate them. This is fun DIY project and I really am super-pleased with the results.
leeluvfashion: I think that your comment is among the highest of compliments. Thank you so much.
Robinesque: I work [freelance] as a multi-media artist with many of my contracts and assignments coming from one end of the fashion industry or another. If I have a "day job" it's CAD work, placed prints, and fabric design. Beyond that I like to refashion, reuse, and recycle things in [what I think] are innovative ways. I like to engineer useful stuff and create "something" from nothing.
As for the shoe project: I adore shoes but I have no real interest in becoming a shoe designer. Fab posted the Pucci shoes and I immediately thought, "Oh. Anyone can do that." So I did.
9Fabulous. I love how you took the concept and made it your own. The shoes are great!
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