Okay, so I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, and I finally got around to customizing my Jordan 5s. I’m a huge fan of orange, so I knew that’s the color I wanted to go with. It all started with a plain pair of white Jordan 5s.
First things first, I cleaned the shoes like crazy. Gotta get all that dirt and grime off before you even think about painting. I used some regular shoe cleaner and a brush, really scrubbing to make sure they were spotless.
Prepping the Shoes
- Taping: Next, I taped off all the areas I didn’t want to paint. This part took forever! So tedious, you want to use some good quality painter’s tape, and be super precise.
- De-glazing: Used some leather preparer and deglazer on the parts I was going to paint. Basicly, it helps the paint stick better and not crack later. Just wiped it on with a cotton ball.
The Fun Part: Painting!
I picked up some Angelus leather paint in orange, of course. Don’t even think about using regular acrylic paint, it’ll just chip off. Make sure that you are useing leather paint!
The key here is thin coats. I mean, really thin. I applied the first coat, and it looked terrible, all streaky and uneven. But don’t panic! Just let it dry completely (I used a hairdryer to speed things up). Then I did another thin coat, and another, and another… I think I ended up doing like five or six coats in total.
Between each coat, I checked for any drips or imperfections, and lightly sanded them down with some super fine-grit sandpaper. Patience is key, my friends.
Finishing Touches
Once I was happy with the color, I let the shoes dry for a good 24 hours. Then, I applied a coat of Angelus acrylic finisher. This protects the paint and gives it a nice, even finish. I went with the matte finish, ’cause I didn’t want them too shiny.
Finally, I carefully removed all the tape. The moment of truth! There were a couple of tiny spots where the paint had bled a little, but I touched those up with a tiny brush.
And that’s it! My custom orange Jordan 5s are done. It was a lot of work, but totally worth it. They look awesome, if I do say so myself.
