Nike Backpack Painting with Angelus Paint

Angelus Tutorials: Worlds Largest Custom Air Force 1

Always on the lookout for the latest in customs, Angelus Direct found the worlds largest Air Force 1. This Air Force 1 comes in the form of an all white backpack, which meant it's the perfect blank canvas for customizing.

Angelus Direct got together with @sneakerqueencustoms to walk you through a step by step tutorial on how to create your own oversized Air Force 1 custom backpack. This watercolor inspired floral design is forgiving, which makes this tutorial easy to recreate at home.

Supplies:

-Red Vinyl Tape

-Pencil

-Angelus Paint

-2-Soft

-Heat gun

-Brush

-White Paint

#2 Round Brush

Step 1: Prep

The first step with any project is proper prep and with this project that means taping off any areas you don't want painted. Here that includes what would be the sole and lining of the shoe, to keep them white while you paint the rest of the shoe.

Step 2: Sketch

Using a pencil add a rough sketch of the flowers. Since this is a more free form design it doesn't need to be overly detailed, just something that gives you a rough idea of the spacing and where the flowers will go.

 

Step 3: Paint the Background

@sneakerqueencustom selected a watercolor pattern for a more forgiving design on this soft backpack. 2-Soft is added to the paint in a 1:1 ratio to help keep the finished product soft and allow the colors to blend for that watercolor effect.

Use whatever colors you would like for this colorful floral design. @sneakerqueencustom starts with lighter colors and then works up to darker ones for a layered look. Dry each layer with a heat gun to set the 2-Soft and ensure the colors don't blend together and become muddled.

Try dipping your brush in water before picking any paint up in your brush to create this watercolor look. This will dilute the color and help them blend and bleed together. Be sure to rinse off your brush throughly between colors. Blend between the colors with a clean, wet brush. You can also go back in with white to blend and soften the transitions between colors.

Step 4: Paint the Flowers

The flowers are painted using just Angelus Paint, no 2-Soft added. This gives the flowers a bolder, more defined look. Once you've painted over the general shape of the flowers, outline them in a darker color with a #2 Round Brush. This will help cover up the pencil sketch marks from earlier.

Remove your tape, allow your paint to dry and you have a custom Air Force 1 that is oversized and one of a kind. The watercolor technique might allow some the paint to bleed under the tape. You can clean it up using white paint or leave the design as is a for a more artistic look.

More Custom Tutorials

If you want to see more custom tutorials like this one, make sure to subscribe to the Angelus YouTube channel to learn tips and techniques.

Also, make sure to follow Angelus on Instagram and check out our online store to grab the materials you need to create your own custom designs!