I had a pair of shoes at the studio for over a month that I liked the shape of but didn’t love the all-brown leather look. I meant to return them but missed the return window, so I decided to give them a makeover instead.
I turned them into DIY painter shoes and absolutely love them now. I wear them almost every day and have gotten so many compliments, so I decided to share the tutorial along with before photos and ideas for other shoes that would work well for this technique.
Before the tutorial, a quick note: not everyone will like this kind of makeover. If you prefer cleaner or more classic changes, try other shoe DIYs like how to dye leather shoes or a color-blocked makeover. But I still love these painted shoes and I’ve been wearing them nonstop.
Materials
- A pair of shoes that could use a refresh
- Acrylic paint in several colors
- A stiff paintbrush
- Newspaper or magazine pages to stuff the shoes
- A paper plate or paint palette
- Sealant (optional — I didn’t use one and the paint has been holding up well)
My shoes are from Madewell and for a while I couldn’t find the exact pair, though they’ve shown up online again. Below I also rounded up several shoe styles that would work great for this splatter technique.
How to make painter shoes
1) Choose a color palette. I used about five colors, but three to five is a good range. Lay the paints out and make sure they work together and with the base shoe color.
2) Protect the interior. Stuff the shoes with newspaper or magazine pages to fill the opening and shield the areas you don’t want painted.
3) Prepare your palette. Squeeze small amounts of each paint color onto a paper plate or palette. Use a stiff brush for splattering.
4) Splatter the paint. Dip the brush into a color, then flick it with your fingers so paint splatters directly onto the shoe. This technique creates organic, Pollock-like splatters rather than perfectly round drops. Rinse and dry the brush before switching colors.
5) Layer colors. Repeat the splattering with each color until you’re happy with the look. Allow the paint to dry completely.
6) Optional seal. If you want extra protection, apply a clear sealant after the paint has dried. I skipped the sealant and my pair has held up through regular wear — I’ve worn them more than ten times with no noticeable change.
Tips
- Test colors on a scrap of paper or an inconspicuous part of the shoe first to see how they look once dry.
- Work in layers, letting each color dry slightly so it doesn’t all blend into a single muddy layer.
- If you want a subtler effect, dilute acrylic paint with a little water and use fewer splatters.
- Cover nearby surfaces and wear old clothes — splattering is fun but messy.
Would you try this painter shoe makeover? If it’s not your style, that’s fine — there are plenty of other ways to refresh shoes. But if you like a playful, artsy upgrade, this is a quick, low-cost way to give a pair new life.