Galaxy Sneaker Craft for Your Doll Shoe Collection

Left, be sure to remove the doll shoe strings before painting the sneaker surfaces. Right,
the finished "Galaxy" painted tennis shoes for your dolls. The example above made with
acrylic paints instead of alcohol inks. The affects are similar without the invested expense.

       This method for crafting "Galaxy" sneakers uses acrylic paints instead of alcohol inks. Surfaces that are stained with inks are not always color fast and will often stain vinyl doll skin permanently if left on top of it for a lengthy period of time. So this is one reason why I recommend that you not use the ink dye methods often suggested for this craft. Young people also have an easier time using acrylic paints. You can cover up mistakes by layering acrylic Gesso with acrylic paints in order to change some parts of your project that you are unhappy with. 

Supply List:

• one pair of white doll sneakers
• Clear or white Gesso
• Galaxy colors of acrylic paints: purple, blue, pink, white and red
• tiny paint brush
• acrylic sealer or Mod Podge
• transparent glitter (optional)
• old toothbrush used only for paint

Step-by-Step Instructions: 

1. Start by using a soft paint brush to cover the canvas and faux leather parts of your doll shoes with Gesso. This is easier to do if you are using clear coating Gesso because it will not cover up the stripes or other colorful parts of your doll's sneakers that you might wish to keep during this process. If you have only a colorful pair of sneakers to work with, white Gesso will add a layer of white color on top of the sneakers and therefore give the painted Galaxy a brighter surface to reflect off of. Let the sneakers dry.
   
2. The next step in the painting of a "Galaxy" on top of your sneakers involves adding splotches of color: pink, blue, purple and a paler pink to the surface of the sneakers. This is a random process and you should leave white spaces between your strokes of paint. Let the paint dry between coats so that it does not get too muddy.
3. Then take touches of each color and mix these pale and translucent into clean water. Stroke on the watery colors between the paint splotches to create lighter, softer applications. Don't overwork the surface too much. Let the paint dry.
   
4. Water down some white paint and dip a toothbrush into it. Now run your fingers over the brush at an angle just above the surface of the sneakers. This creates a speckled affect that looks like tiny stars in the Galaxy. Let the surface of the sneakers dry.
5. Brush a layer of acrylic sealer or Mod Podge over the finished, painted sneakers and let them dry once more before lacing in the shoe laces.
   

Left, I used white sneakers for this craft but you may cover colorful sneakers with a white Gesso
 instead if this is all you have to work with. Right, the backside of the sneakers are painted too.
I covered some of the surfaces with transparent glitter glue in the end. Click here to see how I 
painted a second pair of white doll sneakers to look like Saddle shoes.

 More Examples of Galaxy Tennis Shoes:

• DIY Galaxy Shoes for dolls! - see a parent complete the craft.
• DIY American Girl Galaxy Shoes!! - see a young person make this craft
• DIY American Girl galaxy shoes - painted with Sharpies