In this Blog I would like to share with you what I recommend buying to start your own Customizing journey. In South Africa we don't always have access to the best resources. There are so many talented individuals in this country and I would like to help you get equipped with the correct tools to get started! So lets level the playing field and put you in a position to succeed from the start!
Money
So R1000 is a lot of money to spend on a hobby that you are not sure of yet. In times like these every cent counts. The only problem is that if you start painting shoes with the incorrect paint, you will be discouraged from the beginning. Why? The paint will have a "painted" look to them as if they were still slightly wet. The paint will have a shine to it which will take away from that natural "factory" look of a brand new shoe. The main reason you want something like Angelus Acrylic Leather Paint is that the paint is durable, heat proof, waterproof and long lasting. You also want something that can be cleaned. So here is my recommendation when it comes to money. SAVE UP and invest in Angelus Acrylic Leather Paint.
What do I actually NEED..
So we've established that we need Angelus Paint but what else do you actually need?
Paint brushes, some masking tape , cotton balls , Acetone , some paint additives and a finisher to seal in that paint.
Here’s a list of what you need:
Angelus Black , Angelus White and a third color of your choice like Gift box Blue(small bottles)
Angelus 2-Soft(small bottle)
Angelus Matte Finisher(small bottle)
Angelus Duller(small bottle)
Acetone, Cotton Balls and Masking Tape
5 different paint brushes depending on the sizes and prices
Here are some tips and a breakdown of the above:
When buying the Black and White paint I recommend buying "Flat Black" and "Flat White". The difference is the paint already has Duller mixed into it giving you more of a matte finish. This will also help give your customs more of a factory finish. You want your shoes to look like they were made that way. These colors are perfect for starting out and something like Gift Box blue will help bring a pop of color to your first custom sneaker.
When painting Fabric like canvas, you will need a paint additive called 2-soft. This will dilute your paint and allow it to keep the fabric soft. For instructions on how to use this go check out my video on Instagram @lindens_customs . This is only needed for fabric shoes so if you plan on painting a leather shoe, save your money or possibly purchase another color to add to your set.
Angelus Matte Finisher is what you will need once your customs are complete. This will only be necessary on leather shoes. So if you are only painting a fabric shoe, save your money or use it on purchasing an extra color.
Angelus Duller is a key ingredient in making sure your customs have a matte look. You want your shoes to be on that fine line of looking like they are painted or they came straight from the factory. Duller will hep with this.
Acetone is only for your leather shoes so only purchase this if you plan on doing a leather shoe. If not, pick up another paintbrush or even something like a paint palette. These are super cheap. The cotton balls are only for the Acetone. If you are using Acetone you could also use earbuds depending on the size of the surface you will be prepping. Masking tape is something you will need to cover up the different parts of the shoes you will not be painting. This will help to get in those corners and touch up the edges.
The paint brushes you need will all be depending on what you want to paint. If you want to do detailed small work like Calligraphy you would opt for a few more detailed brushes. If you plan on doing basic Color blocking and painting an entire shoe you will most likely need bigger brushes as well. I recommend getting 5 different sizes. You will need small brushes for the edges, big ones for the larger surfaces and medium size brushes for smaller surfaces which may also require blending. Since you will be working on sneakers, your biggest brush should be about the size of your thumb. If you are using the Matte Finisher try and dedicate one brush to your finisher to avoid any paint ending up on your final product.
Where to spend your Money
There are a few places in South Africa now that stock Angelus Paints. I recommend going to The Deckle Edge for all of the above. They have very competitive prices when it comes to paint brushes and art supplies. PnA Canal Walk is also a great place to pick up all of the above supplies should you reside in the Milnerton Area. If you are anywhere else in South Africa, you can purchase Angelus products through both stores online. Cotton balls could be picked up at your nearest Crazy Store or any cheaper alternative. All of the above will come to a rough estimate of R1000.
Start Creating!
The supplies you are buying should last a few months depending on the amount of painting you will be doing .Angelus paint is very thin and should last you much longer than other acrylic paints. Now that you have the tools its time to create your first pair of Custom Kicks! Do some research and get inspired. Feel free to check out my Instagram page for more tips to help you along your custom journey!
Thanks for Reading. Take Care!
Linden
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