Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Dyeing to be Black - Part 5, Shoes for Adam


Saran wrap, self-adhering bandage, and several layers of Mod Podge were used to make shoes for Adam.
Adam needed shoes to wear with the original World of Love Sports Gear outfit he would continue wearing after the dyeing process.  Instead of trying to locate shoes for him, which would be difficult due to his small foot size, I decided to make a pair.

Adam's feet were:

  1. Wrapped with Saran wrap to protect them from any Mod Podge that might seep through the self-adhering bandage used to mold the shoes.  
  2. Next, his feet were wrapped with the bandage.
  3. Several layers of Mod Podge were applied over the bandage, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next.
The next several photos illustrate the shoe-making process.

Adam's feet have been wrapped and layered with Mod Podge, as described previously.  After the desired firmness was achieved, the shoe molds were removed from each foot and the excess cut away from the ankle area to form the proper shape.

The bottom of each shoe was traced onto black foam to create soles.  These were cut out and glued to the bottom of the shoes and held in place with plastic bands while the soles dried.

Side view of the glued-on, temporarily banded soles

Heels were added to the shoes with additional black foam cut to the shape of the heel area.  The sole of one shoe is not as flat at the other.  I used quilting pins to hold the heel in place on that shoe while the glue dried.

Another angle of the heels as they dried

Insoles were made with white card stock by tracing Adam's foot.  These were inserted into the shoes.  The shoes were painted with black matte acrylic paint.

Mock laces were painted on. 

The shoes, while not perfect, are a nice complement to Adam's sports fashion, which was actually made for one of the World of Love female dolls, but Adam doesn't mind.  I might make him a dashiki later.

World of Love Soul  (who was not part of the dyeing project) is part of Adam's doll family.  She loves his deep complexion, Afro, clothes, and his shoes!  A man is often judged by his choice of shoes, you know.  

See the final reveal of the three Barbie clone heads in the Dyeing to be Black finale.

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8 comments:

  1. Thanks for the shoe-making tutorial, Debbie. I think you had another one before but this one- with an insole as well as a sole- is even better.
    WoL Soul and Adam look adorable and stylish together. :-)

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    1. I did share a ballet slipper I made using this same method. This was my first time making a shoe with a sole and heel using the self-adhering tape and glue. The key to getting a better appearance is in the wrapping of the adhesive around the foot in the area that will be the shoe. It needs to be as smooth as possible, even if you have to place more than one layer around the foot, with the final layer resting on the bottom of the foot. I didn't do that with these shoes, or at least not with both which is why they are a little lumpy looking.

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    2. Thank you for the additional information. I think they look fine especially considering how small they are.
      It should be a lot easier for me to smooth and add detailing because I'll be using your method to make shoes for some little child dolls I have. Their feet are much bigger than WoC's(possibly like Penny Brite's?). As they're not by any brand, buying a pair online for them is very hit and miss.
      Besides, to paraphrase Frank Lloyd Wright, if they don't look the way I want them to, I can just cover them with trim.:-)

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    3. Good luck in making the shoes. I'm sure yours will look great; and if covering with trim doesn't help, you can always start over. :-)

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  2. Replies
    1. Thanks, Roxanne! Recently there was a WOL Adam on eBay, dressed and with shoes, but I didn't want to pay $15 just to get the clothes and shoes. These will have to do for now.

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  3. Adam and Soul look great together!

    Congratulations on creating your own shoes for Adam. He's a lucky dude.

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    1. Soul found her soul mate. :-)

      I still want to find Adam some WOL shoes, but until I do, he has these.

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