News — How To

Schools around the country are starting to transition from online learning back to in-person classes, making now the perfect time to get your custom back to school gear ready.

To show you how you can use Angelus paints to create a custom backpack, Suheel from @feelgoodthreads stopped by to create an easy-to-follow tutorial for painting a clean desert camo design.

Check out the tutorial below, and don't forget to watch the full video tutorial for a more detailed look into the design process.

Materials

Before getting started, you'll need to have the following materials on hand:

• Angelus Chocolate Paint
• Angelus Bone Paint
• Angelus Flat Black Paint
• Angelus 2-Soft
• Angelus Paint Brush Set
• Mixing Jars
• Water & Stain Repellent

Of course, you can change up the colors to fit your preferences. Once you have all your materials ready to go, it's time to get started.

Using 2-Soft

2-Soft is an absolute must when working with any canvas or soft fabric materials. When applied properly, it will help keep the fabric soft and flexible.

All you have to do is mix your paint and 2-Soft in a 1:1 ratio and shake well before using. After doing this, you can use the mixture the same way you would use regular paint.

Painting the Backpack

Once your 2-Soft mixture is ready, you can put down the first coat of your design.

Important Note: Heat-set the paint/2-Soft mixture using a heat gun at 300º F for 3 - 5 minutes to make sure it sets properly.

When painting your camo pattern, you might notice a faint outline around your paint -- this is the 2-Soft spreading and soaking into the fabric.

To cover this up and create a cleaner pattern, you can use your paint (without 2-Soft) to outline the camo design.

Make sure to let your base coat dry completely before applying any extra paint to prevent clumping and ensure the coat is even.

After finishing the main camo pattern, it's time to finish the design by painting the pebbles surrounding the camo.

For this design, Suheel is using Bone paint for the pebbles and Flat Black paint to outline them. To make sure the pebbles are clearly defined, you can leave out the 2-Soft in this step.

Finishing Touches

Once your paint is set and dry, it's important to apply some finishing touches to keep the paint clean and protected.

While Angelus paints are already water-proof, we recommend adding a layer of Water & Stain Repellent to provide an invisible protective coating that repels water and stains to keep shoes clean and dry. 

Make sure to check out our online store to grab the materials you need to recreate this backpack, and follow Angelus on Instagram to see more customs like this.

Mesh and canvas can be difficult to work with -- especially if you don't know what you're doing. It can be difficult to paint fine details on these softer and more flexible materials.

To help you learn how to paint mesh and canvas, @chadcantcolor created a tutorial to show you how to use Angelus Paints on these surfaces using the clean fade and dab method.

Keep reading to see how to use this method and what tools you'll need to get started.

What You Need

To paint canvas or mesh, you only need a few items:

• Angelus Paint
• Foam Pad
• Paint Brushes
• Angelus 2-Soft

Once you have all of your materials, it's time to get to work.

How to Paint Mesh

Start by prepping your shoes. To prep mesh and canvas shoes, tape off the areas that you don't want to paint, remove the laces, and use a shoe tree or plastic to stuff the shoe so that it holds its shape.

Before you start painting, mix Angelus 2-Soft with your paint in a 50/50 ratio. 2-Soft is a fabric medium that allows the paint to cling to soft materials like mesh and canvas without making the material stiff.

Then, using a #10 Filbert brush (or any other big, soft brush), apply your first coat of paint using light, even strokes. This will create an even coat without saturating the layers beneath the surface.

Alternatively, you can take a makeup sponge, dip it into your paint, and dab the surface of the shoe until the whole thing is covered. This technique uses a lot more paint but will help you get full coverage very quickly.

If you use the sponge method, be sure to still use a brush for the edges to protect the midsole from getting paint on it.

After your first coat dries, apply two to three more until the shoe is evenly coated.

How to Paint Canvas

Painting canvas is more or less the same as painting mesh. Prep the shoe by taping off the soles, removing the laces, and stuffing the shoe.

Just like painting mesh, start by creating a 50/50 ix of Angelus 2-Soft and your choice of paint. Then, use a brush to apply a light, even base coat to the shoe.

Tip: Use a micro detail brush to paint close to edges without creating blotches or going over the lines.

If you want to kick things up a notch, grab two more colors to create a fade effect.

Pick where you want the fade to start (if you're painting Vans, you can start at the line), grab your medium color, and start painting. As you work your way up, use less and less pressure on the brush so that the medium shade naturally fades into the lighter one.

Then, using the same color, fill in the area below the fade. Once that's done, take your third color, start from the bottom, and fade it into the second color using the same technique as before.

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great tutorials like this one, and don't forget to check out our online store to grab all the tools you need to create your next pair of customs.