Fabric Marker Method

• 1). Remove the shoelaces from the sneakers.
  
  
• 2). Place a clothespin or binder clip on the tongue of the shoe to weigh it down so that it can be painted more easily. This will also make the painting process tidier as it will reduce contact between the tongue and the back of the shoelace grommets.
  
  
• 3). Use a fabric marker to color the tongue and then the canvas that lands between the heel seam and the vamp seam. On an oxford-style sneaker, the heel seam begins at the center back of the shoe and curves forward and down to the sole of the shoe (the area behind the seam, covering the heel, is the heel cap,) while the vamp seam begins at the shoelace grommets closest to the toes and curves back and down to the sole of the shoe (the area in front of the seam, from the instep to the toes, is the vamp.)
  
  

Ink and Paint Method

• 1). Remove the shoelaces from the sneakers.
  
  
• 2). Use a black felt-tip permanent marker, such as a Sharpie, to color the canvas that lands between heel seam and vamp seam. On an oxford style sneaker, the heel seam begins at the center back of the shoe and curves forward and down to the sole of the shoe (the area behind the seam, covering the heel, is the heel cap), while the vamp seam begins with the shoelace grommets closest to the toes and curves back and down to the sole of the shoe (the area in front of the seam, from the instep to the toes, is the vamp). Use rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs to remove ink that mistakenly lands on shoelace grommets. This step is important because the acrylic paint (used in Step 4) will crack, and the ink undercoat will make the cracks less noticeable.
  
  
• 3). Place a clothespin or binder clip on the tongue of the shoe to weigh it down so that it can be painted more easily. This will also make the painting process tidier as it will reduce contact between the tongue and the back of the shoelace grommets.
  
  
• 4). Apply a coat of acrylic paint over the marker ink layer. Do not paint the tongue because the friction between the laces and the tongue could rub paint off and potentially create a mess on your socks.