Thursday 5 July 2012

diy: comic book shoes



Custom Spider-Man Comic book shoes!



When I first heard of comic book shoes I was taken aback!  I would have never thought to do something like that!  And with the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man movie, I thought now was a perfect time to create some of my own.



For as long as I can remember I have been obsessed with Spider-Man.  I am not exactly sure when it began; I have always loved superheros, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Spidey.  It might be because of his quick wit, his endearing awkwardness, or the way he nonchalantly saves babies from burning buildings.


For whatever reason, Spider-Man is the number one superhero in my heart (closely followed by the lusciously bearded Thor and his devious brother Loki).


The process was fairly straight forward, and though time consuming, not hard.  Kelsey was kind enough to help me, and take photos of the process. 


I love the epic fights superheroes tend to have!
UNGH!!



I love this action shot, it fit perfectly on the side of the shoe.



Supplies:

Mod Podge, 
Shoes (smooth so you can glue things to them)
Paintbrush
Comic book (one that you are okay with cutting up)
Scissors 
Newspaper or cardboard (to do your craft on). 

Directions:

1.  Cut out your favourite scenes from your comic book.  Position them where you would like them to go on your shoes, and then cover the back of the picture with Mod Podge.
2.  Paste the comic book clipping onto the shoe, and press it down so it is smooth.
3.  Trim off any excess clipping, or fold it over the edge of the shoe.
4.  Put a layer of Mod Podge over the comic book clipping.
5.  Continue this process until the shoes are completely covered with comic strips.
6.  Once the Mod Podge has dried, apply three more layers (letting each layer dry before starting the next).

Note: This is a time consuming project.  Give yourself at least an hour and a half for each shoe.

[UPDATE]  While these shoes are so much fun to make and wear, I have noticed that they tend to crack, especially if you use a bendy/flexible shoe.  I am trying to find a solution to this, but right now I recommend that you use a lot of mod podge on the outside, and if possible use heels or other stiff shoes.


I will definitely wear these when I see The Amazing Spider-Man this weekend!

ps: jordyn ♥ 

39 comments:

  1. This is the coolest DIY I have ever seen!! Seriously awesome! And I would agree, Spidey is the coolest superhero :)

    xoxo, Erin @ writedreamrunsing.blogspot.com

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  2. i LOVE all your DIY ideas :) I just can't get enough haha the shoes look great!

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  3. These look awesome!!!! Good job.

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  4. SO AWESOME! nice work Jordyn! you're such a baller.

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  5. Wow... these look AMAZING Jordyn. Nice work!

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  6. Is this something that could work on more flexible shoes (tennis shoes, slip-ons, boats shoes, etc.) that bend at the toes more? I am not sure what modge podge is or if that works as some sort of sealer or not. Any advice?

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    Replies
    1. Hey James! I am not really sure if it would work with something like tennis shoes because they are made out of fabric, and mine were more like plastic. Mod Podge is like watered down glue, so the fabric might soak it up, and then the comic strips would just peel off. Mod Podge does work as a sealer, but it is also what made the comic strips stick.
      Sorry I don't have a definite answer, but I hope this helped!

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    2. Hi James. I have made Wonder Woman tennis shoes using Mod Podge fabric glue and they're doing fine. I first painted glue on the shoe and then also on the paper so it didn't all get soaked up. When I finished I used a sealer and they're wearing really well. I hope this helps and good luck.

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  7. This is just the coolest DIY ever ! I was searching for some Doctor Who shoes and haven't been willing myself to buy them because they're all pricey... But I remembered about this DIY and just decided to make some myself ! Thanks for sharing

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    1. Oh my! I never even thought of making a Doctor Who pair!! What a fantastic idea :)

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  8. Hiya did your crack as mine did and can figure out why ?

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  9. hi,
    this thing that u just made is awesome!! I would luv to make one for myself but theres an issue i've been facing.. We dont get mod podge here in INDIA. so m not sure of what else can i use. pls help
    MANSI

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  10. Very cute idea, but you might not want to wear them out in the rain unless you put a sealant on over the mod podge!

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  11. I was just thinking about something to do with an old shoes that the soles are still good and this is perfect...I don't have any comics but I do have loads of magazines... thank you so much for this! Super!

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  12. Question! My brother just made me a pair of these and they are amazing But, I wore them around the house for a few minutes and where the shoe bends with my foot, the pieces of paper started to crack and peel up. I panicked and took them off immediately. Is there anything I can do to keep that from happening so that I can actually wear them out without ruining them?

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    Replies
    1. Were they new shoes? If so, the glue may have cracked due to the shoes not yet been worn in.

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  13. I attempted this project.... I think I went okay, definitely need to buy more than one comic book to use in the future!

    Thank you for the inspiration :-)

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  14. will this work if i get pictures off of my computer and printed them out on normal computer paper ?

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    Replies
    1. oooh...I'm not sure that would work since the modgepodge will probably make the ink run :( and the paper might be too thick to work properly! but we haven't tried it, so we don't know for sure!

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    2. Use an acrylic sealant on both sides of the paper 2-3 coats on the print out pics leave it to dry.
      Then do a coat of mod podge on both sides and leave to dry.
      once dried, mod podge on shoes as normal :)

      Got this info off the mod podge website and did it myself...worked perfectly :)

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  15. Nice idea but it won't last...the paper will break...

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  16. These are so cute!!! But instead of paper can you maybe use fabric? I saw some really cool marvel fabric at Joann and feel more comfortable cutting that than my comics.

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    Replies
    1. that is such a fantastic idea! I'm not sure if modge podge works on fabric, so you might want to use a fabric glue :) let us know how they turn out!

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  17. I just did my first pair for my girl..i hope they dont crack..i also used the cover pages since there a bit thicker than the comic book pages.

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  18. I'm going to try this to make "book shoes" for my wedding, using a pair of pumps and text clippings from one of my favorite books.I'm only going to be wearing them for one night, so I'm hoping they'll hold up. Any suggestions as to what I should use as a sealer on top of the Mod Podge just to make sure it holds?

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    1. oh that's such a cute idea!
      I've heard good things about Shoe Goo, which you apply in thin coats over your final layer of mod podge, and it is supposed to be both waterproof and remain flexible! We haven't tried it out yet, but that'd be my recommendation :) and you can find it at walmart!
      good luck and let us know how it goes!

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    2. This is my plan as well! I have seen a number of really cute ideas, and am brainstorming what I want to have on my shoes now! :D I'm definitely going to be doing flats, because would rather be able to dance at my reception, so hopefully it'll be really straightforward.

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  19. thanks for showing this project. i am going to do a pair and blog about it.. i needed to use your directions as help, so i will put a link to this page for your assistance! thanks a bunch! ~ Patty Ann

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  20. I made a pair of fab Wonder Woman heels....After about 10 wearings, the modge podge began to crack....afters an alternative for my Batman heels, I used iron on transfer paper and covered each shoe with an acrylic topcoat. Happy to report, they have outlasted 10 wearings!!

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    Replies
    1. awesome! that's such a great idea =) thanks for letting us know!

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  21. Dont know if this helps but about 10 years ago I coved a chair in denim with wood glue (diy shop). And it has held brilliantly...wonder if would help with cracking?

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  22. Along the Dr Who theme a hat or fedora would be cool. My son will love me. :-)

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  23. I live in the Netherlands and we don't have mode podge could you please tell me what it is so I can find an alternative ☺

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    Replies
    1. Hi wendy! It's basically very thin white glue. You can make your own with 2 parts white glue (for example: elmers glue), and 1 part water!

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    2. Thank you Wendy for posting the question I had! No Ho Mod Podge or Elmer's here in Finland but regular white wood glue we have. Totally going to make some of these.

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  24. i am going to try this with fabrics I bet it will work well thanks great idea+

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  25. I LOVE the idea. BUT - Mod Podge is a washable substance. Once you get the shoes wet or anything comes in contact with them, and you wash them off. There goes your Mod Podge and all the work you just did.

    I'd recommend Frog Juice, it's a spray laminate that dries in seconds, and is waterproof, as well as remaining pliable once dry!

    I'll be getting my bottle of it in the mail soon, and I'm going to try this with that, and I'll let you know how it turns out. I'm WAY stoked to try this with some old Japanese kodansha too :)

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  26. Mod Podge has a Fabric version, perhaps this is more flexible than the regular version.

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