DIY Galaxy Shoes

Step up your sneaker game with DIY Galaxy Shoes that are out of this world!

My daughter has been spending her summer at the skate park, and has needed some better shoes for a while. While out shopping for new shoes, she has been begging for the ever-popular "galaxy" style shoes. The problem is that all the ones we found were SO much more expensive than other styles, and I don't have the budget for that. So we compromised with getting plain black shoes (for a great deal) that will be perfect for the skate park, and I would customize them for her to look like galaxy shoes myself!

This is a fun and simple project for older kids to do on their own to dress up older shoes, or to customize new ones. My daughter loved helping with the paint and is so proud to wear these shoes everywhere we go!

Supplies Needed:

Canvas Shoes

Plaid Fabric Creations Fabric Inks

Foam Spouncers (1 1/4", 3/4")

Old Toothbrush

Mod Podge Silicone Craft Mat (optional)

Plastic Paint Pallette (optional)

Masking Tape (optional)

To make your own Galaxy Shoes, you'll need to start with some black canvas shoes. These can be an older pair that are in need of a makeover, or start with some that are brand new. Either way, the most important thing is that they are canvas or similar fabric shoes. You could also use white canvas shoes, but I would recommend painting the shoes black before getting to the galaxy tutorial.

You'll also need some fabric paints. Plaid Fabric Creations are super soft fabric inks that are the perfect way to add color to your shoes. The paints are machine washable, and easy to clean up once you've completed your project. There are a ton of colors to choose from, but we only used fabric paints in Navy, Blue Raspberry, White, African Violet, and Hot Pink for this project.

Lay down the Mod Podge Silicone Craft Mat to protect your workspace from the paint. The fabric paint is washable with soap & water right after you finish your project, so this will make for easier cleanup. Pour some navy fabric paint into the paint pallette, or open the paint bottle and add a little to the lid. If you are worried about getting paint on the rubber sole of your shoe, cover it in masking tape.

Use a 1 1⁄4" foam spouncer and dab it into the navy fabric paint. Press the spouncer in small circles in different areas of the shoe to create different "galaxies".

Next, we're going to add some lighter blue to brighten up the galaxies. Because we'll be blending the blues a bit, I didn't rinse off the spouncer. Dip the spouncer in blue raspberry paint, and dab it on your mat or palette to remove some of the excess paint. Press the spouncer around the edges of the navy blue and blend it out into a larger area.

Now you need to blend the blue raspberry into purple. Go around the edges of the blue with the spouncer, and add purple between the galaxies. It's okay to keep some black showing through. If you accidentally add too much purple, you can go back in and add some more blue to brighten it up.

As the paint dries, the colors will darken from the black canvas. At this point, you can go back over areas with the navy, blue raspberry, and purple to make the colors more vibrant. Let the paint dry a bit to see how it looks before you add any more coats.

Switch to the 3/4" spouncer and add in some hot pink around the shoe. I tried to add it to areas with too much purple, or spots where the shoe needed a bit more color. Let the paint dry for a little bit to see if/how it darkens and if you need to add any more paint to brighten it up.

Once you're satisfied with the paint, it's time to add some stars to the gorgeous galaxies! Use an old toothbrush and dip it in some white fabric paint. Run your finger quickly across the bristles to splatter paint on the shoe. You'll get splatters in different sizes, which looks just like the stars! Add as much or as little splatter as you'd like.

Be careful not to touch the fabric of the shoe (I put my hand inside the shoe) and use a wet cloth or even a baby wipe to clean up any paint on the rubber soles. It should come right off with little effort.

Paint the other shoe using the same technique. The other shoe will most likely not be exactly the same as the first one, and that's okay!! That's what makes these shoes so fun. They will be similar in look, but will have some really cool differences. Once the other shoe is painted, set the shoes somewhere safe overnight and let them dry completely.

Lace up the shoes with black shoelaces, and the shoes are ready to wear! The fabric paint is washable, but to make them a little more waterproof we sprayed the shoes with a coat of shoe water and stain protector.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! My daughter absolutely loves these shoes, and they have been holding up great. I'd love to see your DIY Galaxy Shoes if you decide to make some for yourself!

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