News — Artists

One of the most popular Jordan silhouettes, the Jordan 11 is a great shoe for customizing and color swapping, but working with patent leather can be a little tricky if you haven't done it before. If you don't take the proper steps to prep and finish the material, you risk damaging it beyond repair.

To help you create your own custom Jordan 11s, Suheel from @feelgoodthreads stopped by to create a thorough tutorial on how to work with patent leather without damaging it.

Follow along below and make sure to check out the full video on YouTube to learn how to safely design a pair of custom 11s.

Custom Jordan 11 Walkthrough

Before getting started, here are the materials you're going to need to make these customs:

• Angelus Leather Paint
• Angelus Leather Preparer and Deglazer
• Masking Tape
• Adhesion Promoter
• Airbrush
• Airbrush Filter
• Vinyl Tape
• Sand Paper

Once you have your materials ready to go, follow these steps to prep and paint the patent leather on a pair of Jordan 11s.

1. Sanding Patent Leather

To make sure your paint adheres to the shoe, you need to start by sanding the patent leather to remove the glossy top coat.

Use 320-grit wet sandpaper to carefully sand down the glossy finish, but be careful not to sand any of the threading on the leather.

Make sure to sand down the crease spots at the edges of the toe box. Otherwise, your paint will most likely crack when you wear the shoes and form a natural crease. After sanding use compressed air or a microfiber cloth to get rid of any remaining dust and debris.

2. Prepping Patent Leather

Angelus Leather Preparer and Deglazer helps promote adhesion by getting rid of the shoe's factory finish and leaving a completely clean surface for you to paint.

Simply use a microfiber cloth or cotton swab to apply the Leather Preparer and Deglazer to the shoe. Make sure to wipe down the entire leather portion of the shoe to ensure you have a smooth, even surface to work with. Let the solution completely dry before moving on.

Then, use masking tape to tape off the portions of the shoe that you don't want to paint. For this project, Suheel made sure to tape off the soles and the ankle collars to protect these areas while painting.

Lastly, to strengthen the bond between the leather and the paint, apply two to three light coats of adhesion promoter, waiting five to 10 minutes in between each coat to let the adhesion promoter dry.

4. Prepping the Paint

To help the paint adhere to the hard leather and plastic surfaces, you'll need to mix equal parts of Angelus 2-Hard and paint (for this project, Suheel used a 6:1 mixture of Fired Red and Tahitian Pink).

Since we're airbrushing these customs, you also need to prep the paint to make sure it flows through the airbrush without clumping and causing the airbrush to clog. Generally, we suggest using a 1 part 2-thin to 4 parts paint ratio (1:4).

Before adding the paint to the airbrush, it's important to strain the paint to get rid of any dust, paint pigments, and other imperfections. Without straining the paint, this debris will be sprayed onto the shoe, creating a rough surface,

5. Painting Patent Leather

After prepping the paint, it's time to start painting the shoe. Use your airbrush to apply several light coats of paint to the shoe, and make sure to let each coat dry completely before moving on to the next.

To achieve a completely solid, even paint job, you'll likely need to apply four to five coats.

After painting, if you notice any imperfections that need to be smoothed out, you can use wet sandpaper to get rid of these rough spots. Make sure to let the paint completely dry for 24 hours before doing this, and hold the shoes upside down while sanding to avoid runoff onto the midsoles.

You can also use a detail brush to fill in the small details, like the Jumpman logos, with Flat White paint.

6. Applying Finisher

To seal in the paint job and restore the glossy finish of the original shoe, you can use an airbrush to apply several light layers of High Gloss Acrylic Finisher.

Not only will this add a glossy finish to the shoe, but it will also help protect your custom paint job from minor scratches and scrapes.

7. Dying the Soles

To finish the shoe, Suheel dyed the soles to match the new red colorway.

As you can see, the Jordan 11 has a patch on the sole that matches the shoe's colorway. The shoe on the right still has the original blue sole, while the one on the left showcases what it looks like after the dye job.

To dye the sole, use a paintbrush to carefully apply the dye to this area. Dye stains very easily, so take your time and be cautious not to get any dye on the upper or the icy midsole as you will not be able to reverse this.

After letting the dye dry for about 10 minutes, apply the Acrylic Finisher to the sole to seal in the dye.

Then, to finish the shoe, Suheel swapped the stock laces for a matching pair of red rope laces.

Check Out More Tutorials

If you want to check out more helpful tutorials like this one, make sure to subscribe to the Angelus YouTube channel to learn tips and tricks from experienced custom sneaker artists.

Don't forget to follow Angelus on Instagram and check out our online store to grab the materials you need to recreate these custom Jordan 11s!

In an otherwise bad year, 2020 has been a good year for customs as artists around the country have shared some amazing creations with us over the last 12 months.

With the year coming to an end, we thought we'd close the year strong by sharing some of our favorite customs from this past month. Check out the customs below and stop by our online store to grab the tools you need to make your own.

Custom Jordan 1s

(source: @astrotorfcustoms)

Sponsored artist @astrotorfcustoms created these custom Jordan 1s, dressed up in a clean black, white, grey, and red colorway, as a gift for fellow artist @dnicecustoms.

The shoe features Union-style color blocking, custom dyed laces, personalized Jordan wings logos, and several other custom details.

Rugrats x Kaws Yeezy 350s

(source: @skinzcustoms)

One of the most unique pairs of customs we've seen this year, these custom Yeezy 350s by @skinzcustoms combine a childhood classic with art inspired by the popular artist Kaws.

Each shoe features portraits of iconic characters from Rugrats, including Tommy, Chuckie, Reptar, and others -- each with X's over their eyes as seen in much of Kaws' artwork.

Kyrie 5 "Sunday Service"

(source: @yauyau_jy)

These custom Kyrie "Sunday Service" 5s showcase some of the most insane detail work you'll ever see on a pair of customs.

Artist @yauyau_jy hand-painted these customs, featuring an all-over intricate stained glass design with neon green laces and soles to complete the concept.

Pokémon Vans

(source: @lucha_loafers)

Slip-On Vans are some of the best shoes for customizing due to the large blank toe boxes, and sponsored artist @lucha_loafers takes full advantage of this blank canvas with these custom Pokémon Vans.

The customs feature a purple base, lightning effects, and detailed portraits of some of the most recognizable Pokémon, including Pikachu, Seviper, and others.

Lakers Air Force 1s

(source: @camcreatez)

Custom artist @camcreatez designed these custom Air Force 1s, dedicated to the reigning NBA champs -- the Los Angeles Lakers.

These customs feature some incredible details, including portraits of LeBron and Anthony Davis on the sides and heels, a Black Mamba-inspired black and gold colorway, and snakeskin pattern detailing on the upper.

To see more customs like these, make sure to follow Angelus on Instagram and tag us in your own custom creations.

Whether you want to create the perfect Christmas gift or just want to dress in the spirit of the holidays, you can't go wrong with a Christmas-themed pair of custom sneakers.

Check out some of the best holiday customs from this month below, and make sure to stop by our online store to grab the materials you need for your next custom project.

Gift Wrapped Air Force 1s

(source: @customsby_g)

Artist @customsby_g designed these gift-wrapped Air Force 1s just in time for the holidays. The shoes are dressed up in a Christmas-inspired red, white, and green color scheme with gold accents on the Swooshes and laces.

Other details include green gift ribbons on the Swooshes and Christmas elves painted on the toe boxes.

Snowflake 6s

(source: @allshoesmatter)

These Snowflake 6s are the perfect customs for the icy weather, featuring icy blue overlays on the upper, snowflake patterns, and candy cane patterns on the soles.

The artist, @allshoesmatter, also swapped out the stock laces for string Christmas lights to complete the theme.

Grinch Customs

(source: @mache275)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a holiday classic, and sponsored artist @mache275 brought this iconic movie to life with a pair of Grinch-themed customs.

These customs feature a green base, an incredibly detailed portrait of Jim Carrey's Grinch on the sides, and the movie's title written on the outsides in clean white and red typography.

Ugly Christmas Sweater 1s

(source: @camdiggidycustomwear)

Ugly Christmas sweaters are a fashion staple of the holiday season, so it's only right that you create a pair of customs to match.

Artist @camdiggidycustomwear designed these custom Christmas sweater 1s, featuring a variety of holiday-themed details, including snowmen, mistletoe, gingerbread men, Christmas ornaments, and more.

Home Alone Q4s

(source: @andr3wtl)

Home Alone is a holiday favorite, and to pay homage to the popular Christmas movie, artist @andr3wtl designed these custom Q4s for the NBA's Langston Galloway.

These Home Alone-themed customs feature portraits of Kevin, Marv, and Harry on top of a split red and green color scheme with snowflake details.

If you want to see more great customs like these, make sure to follow Angelus on Instagram for more inspiration.

Announced all the way back in 2012, Cyberpunk 2077  is finally being released after nearly a decade of anticipation.

To commemorate the occasion, Bryan from @swellguycustoms stopped by to put together a tutorial demonstrating how to create a custom pair of Cyberpunk-themed Nike Blazers.

Check out the tutorial on YouTube for a detailed walkthrough, and read on for a quick overview on how to create your own custom Blazers.

Removing the Nike Swoosh

For these customs, Bryan created a custom Nike Swoosh to match the Cyberpunk aesthetic, and to do that, you need to start by removing the outside Swoosh from both shoes.

Use a detail knife to cut the stitching that attaches the Swooshes to the shoes, but be careful not to cut the surface.

After removing the Swooshes, you can use tweezers or nail clippers to remove the leftover frayed threads.

Removing the Factory Finish

Just like with any other custom project, it's important to prep the shoe before painting to make sure the paint adheres to the shoe and doesn't easily chip, peel, or crack.

To remove the factory finish from the Blazers, use a cotton swab and Angelus Leather Preparer & Deglazer to rub all of the areas that you intend to paint. This will create a clean finish for you to apply your custom design.

Before moving on, you can also tape off the midsole to prevent paint from getting on any unwanted areas.

Painting the Customs

After prepping, it's time to start painting the base of the shoes. For these customs, Bryan laid down a base layer of Pale Yellow paint, and on top of that, used a custom mixture of Thunder Yellow and Neon Sunset Yellow

Note: Since we're using an airbrush for this portion, you can mix four parts of Angelus paint with one par Angleus 2-Thin to make it easier for the paint to pass through the airbrush.

For the upper heel, use a brush to apply a base layer (or a few layers, if necessary) of pink, and follow it up with a mixture of Chili Red, Raspberry, and Jamaican Joy.

Creating a Custom Swoosh

Now, it's time to create the custom glitch effect for Nike Swoosh. Start by taping over the area where the original Nike Swoosh was, then use a pencil to trace the Swoosh on the tape using the leftover stitching holes.

After tracing the Swoosh, use it as a reference to draw your custom glitch effect. To get the glitch effect, you want certain parts of your sketch to be jutting out of the Swoosh and other jutting into the original Swoosh.

Next, use a detail knife to carefully cut out your stencil. Then, you can use an airbrush to paint the custom Swoosh with a mixture of Pale Blue and Neon Bahama Blue.

Finally, peel the stencil off and use the same red mixture you used for the upper heel to outline the custom Swoosh, creating a clean drop shadow effect to give the design some depth. Do the same to the Swooshes on the inside of the shoes to create a more cohesive design.

Using Suede Dye

Nike Blazers also have suede patches on the toe and on the side above the midsole, so to make these patches match the rest of the shoe, you'll need to dye them using yellow suede dye.

You can use a paintbrush to apply the dye to the suede patches, but be careful as suede dye is a permanent alcohol-based solution -- you don't want to get any on areas other than the suede patches.

After applying the dye, wipe off any excess dye with a towel, and let the shoes dry for 24 to 48 hours before wearing.

Finishing Touches

The last thing to do is to use your airbrush to spray the shoe with Angelus Matte Finisher to give the shoes a clean finish.

Use a heat gun to dry the finisher after applying. In addition to giving the shoes a flat look, the finisher also helps protect the paint from minor scrapes and scratches.

After letting the shoes completely dry, you can lace them up and wear them as you normally would.

Make sure to subscribe to the Angelus YouTube channel or more tutorials like these and follow us on Instagram for custom sneaker inspiration.

Sneaker artists have been very busy over this past month creating a variety of unique custom designs. From Maleficent AF1s to Fresh Prince Vans, we've picked some of our favorite customs from the past few weeks to share with the Angelus community.

Whether you're looking for inspiration for your next project, or you just want to check out some original artwork, check out our custom sneaker spotlight below.

Maleficent Air Force 1

(source: @kingdom_made)

Sponsored artist @kingdom_made brought Maleficent to life with these custom Air Force 1s based on Disney's fairy villain.

These customs feature a black and white base colorway, Maleficent portraits on the middle panel, and ghost flame effects across the background and Swooshes.

Mountain Bike AF1

(source: @tazz.customs)

@tazz.customs created these custom Air Force 1s using real parts from a mountain bike to create some one-of-a-kind details.

Real bike tires were used to replace the quarter panels and tongue tags, and the artist replaced the aglets with tire valves. The base of the shoe features an abstract mountain and forest-themed painting with mountain bike details.

Fresh Prince Slip-On Vans

(source: @o.worthen)

Did you catch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion?

Sneaker artist @o.worthen painted these custom slip-on Vans and matching overalls in honor of the classic 90s sitcom. Each piece features a cartoon portrait of either Will or Carlton and includes other details pulled from the show, including the show's logo across the chest of the overalls.

Thanksgiving Jordan 13

(source: @solesbysir)

Thanksgiving might already be in the rearview mirror, but with Bam Adebayo recently signing his max extension, now's a great time to bring back these Thanksgiving throwbacks designed by sponsored artist @solesbysir.

Personally designed for Bam, these customs feature fall colors and leaves painted across the base with a cartoon turkey painted on top.

SpongeBob Old Skool Vans

(source: @mcvsso)

@mcvsso designed these custom Old Skool Vans, dedicated to one of the most influential cartoons of all time.

These SpongeBob SquarePants Vans feature SpongeBob and Patrick painted on the toe boxes, Squidward and Plankton on the middle panels, beach and ocean patterns on the base, and other details pulled from the Bikini Bottom universe.

To see more customs like these, make sure to follow Angelus on Instagram, and don't forget to check out our online store to grab what you need to make your own customs.