Customize Your Shoes with Sharpie

Shoes, Shoes, and more Shoes… believe me I have way too many for my own good. But what I dont have is a custom designed pair of shoes. However, with the recent launch of SharpieUncapped.com there have been floods of artists sharing their sharpie shoe art and today I will be sharing with you some of the great talent that has been sent in. If you are interested in making a pair of  customized shoes it’s super easy… all you need is a pair of shoes and Sharpies! Then the rest is up to you!

Customizing your shoes is an easy, cost efficient way of standing out in a crowd. Make sure to customize your kicks before going back to school, so you can have the coolest shoes in school! Make sure you Tweet Me with any other custom shoe pictures you have! I love to see any and everything made with Sharpie

Here’s the step by step process for customizing your own pair of shoes:

1. Buy some plain skate shoes, sandshoes, sneakers, or chucks in white (or even high heels). Darker colors will not show up the colors that you put on as well and won’t have a good effect (unless you just use Sharpie Metallic markers).
2. Get a variety of Sharpie markers (Metallic, Fine tip, Paint, Regular).
3. Draw and write on them be creative use images, your name, favorite quotes,  or your favorite pattern!
4. Be as creative as you like, they’re going to be your unique shoes. Consider adding additional embellishments such as gluing on small bows, adding pom-poms, changing the colors and patterns of the laces, sticking on googly eyes etc. 

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Your name/nickname
• Initials (graffiti letters look cool)
• Cool Patterns
• Lightning Bolts
• Hearts
• Smiley Faces
• Skulls
• Random Words
• Favorite Quotes or Phrases
• Flowers 
• ANYTHING YOU WANT!

Be Creative… Uncap What’s Inside!

 

 

 

All You Need is Love… and Sharpie!

This past May, I had the awesome experience of going on a business seminar in Vienna, Austria, and Prague, Czech Republic! While I was there I was able to visit different advertising agencies, factories, and discussion panels. Luckily, while I was also allowed to be a tourist and explore the city. While in the Czech Republic, me and my classmates were walking across the Charles Bridge when we noticed a small art district. Being the nosey tourists we were, we decided to go check it out. And what we  found was AMAZING…Sharpie and The Beatles together at last! What more can a girl ask for?!

The John Lennon Wall!!!

The John Lennon wall is decorated by artists with graffiti, then the tourists (including myself) sign the wall with inspirational quotes from The Beatles and sign their name! Don’t you love how I was a Sharpie-holic even before I started working here… I had two black Sharpies in my purse and my classmates and I were all able to sign this fantatic piece of art.

Now I have a lot of pictures from here so I have made a page dedicated to the John Lennon wall in all of its greatness!

If you have been any where in the world and used a Sharpie… let me know… Tweet Me and I can add it to the wonderful travels of Sharpie around the world! But if you are ever in Prague make sure to check out this awesome wall… and have your Sharpie handy!

The history behind the John Lennon Wall….

Once a normal wall, since the 1980s it has been filled it with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles songs.

In 1988, the wall was a source of irritation for the then communist regime of Gustav Husak. Young Czechs would write grievances on the wall and in a report of the time this led to a clash between hundreds of students and security police on the nearby Charles Bridge. The movement these students followed was described ironically as “Lennonism” and Czech authorities described these people variously as alcoholics, mentally deranged, sociopathic, and agents of Western capitalism.

The wall continuously undergoes change and the original portrait of Lennon is long lost under layers of new paint. Even when the wall was repainted by some authorities, on the second day it was again full of poems and flowers. Today, the wall represents a symbol of youth ideals such as love and peace.

And dont forget… “Let It Be”… Sharpie!

Go Ahead Sharpie-fy Your Walls…

Are you tired of boring old paint but just hate the hastle of  wallpaper… well Sharpie has the solution for you! Just recently I stumbled upon this great idea for Sharpie Designs from DIYideas.com. I could not believe how awesome these drawing were and the cheap way to decorate your room or even dorm room!

The best part is you can customize it any way you want… ultra modern, contemporary, art deco, or traditiomal. Heck even if you dont want to cover the complete wall make an accent wall with one of your creative Sharpie designs! And don’t just stick to one color and Sharpie be creative, spice it up with the variety of Sharpie colors and sizes!

And dont forget to send me pictures of your completed project! Or just Tweet me!

 Tools + Materials

• Sharpie
• Level
• Straightedge
• Pencil

1. To create a wall motif similar to the design pictured here, start at the top of the wall. Practice your design on paper first! Draw the molding on the wall, using the level, straightedge, and pencil to lightly mark lines along the ceiling perimeter, then go over them with the marker. For a more formal look to this molding, we added what appear to be dentils (a series of small rectangular blocks), drawing only two sides instead of three and spacing them slightly apart.

2. Measure all the walls and determine a logical length for a repeat pattern, such as the swags near the ceiling. For instance, if one wall is 9 feet and another is 12 feet, they’ll both accommodate a repeat of 3 feet. Pencil lines to mark the beginning and end of each repeat or swag, then fill in with flourishes.

3. To make the “wallpaper,” create a grid using a level, straightedge, and pencil. Rather than drawing lines, mark points at equal intervals vertically and horizontally. Draw flowers at every other point in each row; stagger the designs in adjacent rows. There may be a little difference between each one, but that makes it more fun.

Be creative and UNCAP WHAT”S INSIDE!!

Star Studded Sharpie…

What are the most common uses for Sharpie? Sharpie tattoos, signing friends casts, or drawing on drunk people?  I’ll let you decide…However, the most common use for  celebs is signing autographs. Since Hollywood is always such a hot topic I thought I would show some recent photos of celebs using Sharpie! Make sure to check out the Sharpie Facebook page for more albums of Sharpie Celebs.

I will post these sporadically… Tweet me if you want to see your favorite celeb using a Sharpie and I will try and make it happen!  Whose your favorite Sharpie Celeb?

Actress and mother, Tori Spelling was recently at a book signing using both green and pink Sharpie markers!

For all those Twilight fans! Kristen Stewart was recently caught signing autographs with a Sharpie in hand! Can anyone else not wait for the New Moon?!

No name is more famous around the world than Barrack Obama and look here he is signing the Rolling Stone covers with a Sharpie! Maybe we should send him personalized Sharpies?

Talk show host Kelly Ripa, spices up autograph signing by using a light blue Sharpie while holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

For all those tweens out there, Zac Efron, the High School Musical star uses Sharpie Retractable when signing autographs.

New Social Media Aspects for Sharpie…

Another day has passed at my social media inkternship with Sharpie. As you may have heard Sharpie has launched a new campaign, SharpieUncapped, which challenges you to Uncap Whats Inside and use Sharpie in new and fascinating ways. In addition to this recent launch Sharpie has been integrating social media into every aspect of the brand. Yesterday I got to sit in on a meeting with Carrie our channel manager.  We learned a ton about search engine optimization and search engine marketing. I cannot believe how much valuable information I learned from this one hour meeting!

 

 On top of all this, Sharpie is creating a couple of interactive ways to enhance Sharpies current social media endeavors. Not that they aren’t awesome already, we just want to enhance the overall experience FOR YOU! First we are starting with Facebook! Ultimately we want to make the site interactive and fun to visit. So the Sharpie INKterns have put their heads to come up with ideas to spruce up the page. We plan on adding an interactive quiz to “Uncap Your Inner Sharpie” as well as customizing the page to include current events going on in the office. If anyone has any great ideas please leave comments and we would love to explore them!

 

In the upcoming weeks we will also be focusing on Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube! So make sure to check for updates on new ideas for these social media channels! If you havent checked these out yet, you can find the links through the SharpieUncapped page!

Dont forget to check out the new Sharpie contest Project BackPack. Make sure to start putting your designs together because the creative winner will take home $5000 and have their designs reproduced in the 2010 school year!

PS: Happy 4th of July! Plus I will be releasing another great idea for Sharpie Designs so be sure to check it out later next week!

Rock On with Sharpie!

It amazes me what people create with Sharpies. That is why I am especially proud to introduce my first Sharpie Artist Peter Bragino. Thankfully he was kind enough to allow me to interview him and display some of his work… Hope you enjoy!

Tell me a little about your business.

My business is Bragino Creations and that incorporates my life in whole as a working artist. I own and operate THECEEFLAT Gallery in Brooklyn (www.theceeflat.com) and run the fine art section of my business out of there. I also create wall murals, art on random things, design work, figurative drawings/paintings, and airbrushing in any capacity.

Sharpie Guitar

How are Sharpie markers incorporated?

Sharpie markers have been and always will be a driving force in my work. From the early days of drawing friends names in grafitti and scribbling in notebooks, to current times of fine art paintings and art on guitars Sharpie has been there for me.

What benefit do you think this offers and to who?

The idea of having your own business as an artist benefits the artist in many ways. In my case I’ve always hoped that rejecting the norm and blazing my own trail would help inspire not only my immediate friends and family but anyone who comes in contact with my art as well.It’s possible to create the live of your dreams and that’s where I like to live, on the edge of creation…

Why are Sharpie markers a good fit for this?

Sharpie markers are a good fit for artist’s because they’re permanent, consistent, and simple. I especially like the industrial Sharpies. They write over just about anything which is why I used them to draw on the guitars. I also love to use them when I’m drawing the figure. I use mixed media a lot with the figure and the Professional or Industrial Sharpies can handle working over just about anything I put on the page, even wet surfaces. When each figure study only lasts 20 minutes it’s important to get the information down quickly without waiting for things to dry..

Tell us about some of your favorite designs.  Why do they resonate with you?

Most of the designs that resonate with me are designs that are based on good composition. In the end composition is the most important aspect of any one of my pieces and the ones that succeed the most are ultimately added directly to my favorites list.

What was your inspiration for these designs?

Most of my inspiration for the designs that I create comes directly from nature. I draw a lot on location around New York and I study weekly from the human figure so in general it’s all natural and of course organic…

Can the public order designs or is this a private hobby?

The public may certainly order designs from my online store which should be up soon (www.shopbragino.com). I recently made the decision to redo the store so it’s in the process of a major rehaul. In the meantime potential clients can contact me through my website (www.bragino.com).

Have you tried to decorate any electrical guitars?

I haven’t painted any electric guitars. So far I’ve done 4 acoustic guitars.

Have you created any other piece of art using Sharpies?

I’ve drawn on many things using sharpies. One of my favorite things to draw on with sharpies is humans. Yes that’s right I use sharpies to create temporary tattoos on friends, and have even used them during photo shoots for giving a model a half sleeve.

What is your favorite Sharpie to use?

My favorite sharpie to use is certainly the basic black fine point. You can’t go wrong with the classics. For the more permanent situations and harder to mark on surfaces I love the professional Sharpie with the chisel point. It’s almost like using a brush with ink or paint.

For more work and information about Peter Bragino please visit his websites:  www.bragino.com www.theceeflat.com

Another Day at Sharpie…

Good Morning! Today is the start of a new exciting day at Sharpie! Today I believe we are going to be focusing on other forms of social media including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube!

With the recent launch of SharpieUncapped.com it is great to have an insiders look of how social media really plays into the branding and visability of a product. On top of this the feedback we are getting from SharpieUncapped.com is unbelievable! I never realized how many truly creative and talented people there are! I hope that I will be able to interview some of these fantastic people and feature them on my blog to show the creative ways to use Sharpies.

I know this posting wasnt long but I will keep you updated on new and exciting things that are going on in the office!

PS Sharpie is introducing new Carribean Colors! Make sure to check them out!

Uncap What’s Inside!

Sharpie just launched their new Uncap What’s Inside Campaign which focuses on the art you can create with Sharpies. To help promote this awesome idea they have launched a new website SharpieUncapped.com Here artists and Sharpie fans around the world can upload pictures of their artwork, watch tutorials, and try out new pens!

It truly is amazing to see how many creative people are out there using Sharpies! If you ever make a creation of sharpie either twitter me at SharpieINKtern or leave a comment with your creations! Here at Sharpie we all love to see the new and creative ways to use Sharpies!

Currently my favorite Sharpie creation is known as the Sharpie Lamborghini Gallardo. An artist completely decorated a lamborghini in Sharpie and then clear coated the design. Check ou the video below! I love this car, it is so awesome!

-SharpieINKtern