afrobohemianchick: shoes

Sunday, April 05, 2009

A Graphic Designer's Dream

I took a big step and decided to pursue that graphic design degree that I've always wanted. As I start my online class tomorrow, I am constantly reflecting on what I want to do after I learn the necessary skills to take my artwork a step further. One of the main things I would like to do is continue to put my designs on clothing and other items for sale. I've heard that it's always a good idea to use someone else's work as your inspiration. That makes sense to me because anyone who has a goal in mind needs some type of motivation to keep him or her going. I definitely got some motivation after looking at the work of Christian Audigier. I'm sure that many of you have heard of Zappos.com. Although Zappos.com is known mostly for shoes, that is not the only thing they sell, and the Ed Hardy brand by Christian Audigier is a great example of that. In addition to cool names for shoes such as Popsicle Shoes, Snowblazer Boots and Beachcomber Metallic Flip Flops, the Ed Hardy brand also includes T-shirts, drawstring pants and leather cuffs. The tattoo-inspired art on these items is sure to make you stand out on the street. The eyewear line has a rock-and-roll feel, and the swinwear has colorful designs that really pop. I would love to do something similar to what Christian Audigier has created. Youthful, colorful, abstract, and most of all, fun!

Monday, August 04, 2008

Zazzle has partnered up with Keds, and Zazzle artists can now put designs on women's and children's canvas shoes. Artists can customize everything about the shoes right down to the stitching. As soon as I got the email about it, I designed six shoes. Here they are: