{"id":816532,"date":"2024-06-07T11:12:36","date_gmt":"2024-06-07T18:12:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/?p=816532"},"modified":"2025-11-24T13:51:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T21:51:05","slug":"character-design-shoes-sneakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/character-design-shoes-sneakers\/","title":{"rendered":"Picking the right shoes for your character design: Sneakers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This article is <strong>Part One<\/strong> of our two-part, complete guide to picking the right shoe models for your character design. Be sure to look out for Part Two, coming soon!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sneakers, boots, stilettos, flip-flops \u2026 There are so many shoe models that we can draw for each character. But how should we choose the right one? In this two-part series, I will lead you through some examples while talking about why it\u2019s important to have a fashion sense while making a character design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Animator\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bshum79\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Benson Shum<\/a>,\u00a0who works at Walt Disney Animation Studios, what makes a good character design is that when you look at it you <em>immediately<\/em> know what it is. And the production designer of Walt Disney Animation Studios,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/coryloftis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cory Loftis,<\/a>\u00a0says that one of the key points of designing a character for film is to make your character not call attention to themselves. If you design something too cool or too remarkable, he goes on, it will distract the audience and they won\u2019t be able to follow the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"What Makes GOOD Character Design - Disney Animation Studio Artists Interviews\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/N_O8Vr0D1z4?feature=oembed\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shum and Loftis are talking about designing a character for film, but it is no different when drawing humans for a still image. Our aim in illustration is very simple: We want people to know what it is, as fast as possible. The feeling and the characters should be easily understandable, and one of the fastest ways to do it is to draw the right&nbsp;clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clothing is one of the elements that make or break a character. And believe it or not, the footwear that a character is wearing is key to drawing the correct\u00a0outfit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1065\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/barbie.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-816575\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/barbie.jpg 1065w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/barbie-980x552.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/barbie-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1065px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Warner Bros. Pictures via AP<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even in the Barbie movie &#8212; spoiler alert! &#8212; Barbie must choose between high heels or Birkenstocks as a symbol for her red pill \/ blue pill moment. In real life, shoe models may not be as life changing as they are in Barbie Land, but when drawing a character, we artists should pay attention to details. If you don\u2019t draw details right, the action you\u2019re drawing or the story that you\u2019re telling may not be conveyed quickly, or it may get lost completely. Shoes fall under this category. If we want the attention to stay on the action or the story, we should give the audience the details that they are already expecting to\u00a0see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To explain it thoroughly, I will be writing two different articles. In each article, I will talk about different footwear types in the following categories: Sneakers, high heels, flats, dress shoes, boots, sandals, and slippers. In this first part of the series, I will be focusing on sneakers. In Part Two, I will follow the categories while giving examples with my\u00a0illustrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s dive into our first\u00a0category:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sneakers!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we think about sneakers in real life, we think of so many models. However, when it\u2019s time to draw a character, most artists &#8212; including me &#8212; draw the same thing: Converse All Stars. Yes, they are easy and fun to draw, and yes, they literally go with any age, any gender, and any\u00a0outfit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"980\" height=\"764\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-816578\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_1.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_1-480x374.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 980px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But when our focus is on a feeling or an action, drawing suitable sneaker models for our characters would make them look more natural and it would add a certain variety to our\u00a0work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"980\" height=\"764\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_1_s.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-816580\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_1_s.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_1_s-480x374.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 980px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this part of the series where I will be talking about Sneakers, I will give you some ideas as to which alternatives you can draw for your sketches other than classic Chuck Taylors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, if we were to draw a person who is jogging, I would assume that their outfit and their sneakers would show some simple differences based on where they are jogging; in a gym, on the street in a city, or outdoor in a&nbsp;park:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"980\" height=\"764\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-816579\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_2.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_2-480x374.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 980px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And when someone is walking their dog, we may think that they are wearing comfortable shoes, therefore sneakers would be a good fit. Let\u2019s think of some examples other than Chucks. But also remember that a person\u2019s age or taste would probably affect their choice of\u00a0sneakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"980\" height=\"764\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-816581\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_3.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_3-480x374.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 980px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stereotyping is not cool in many cases in life, but when we are drawing for the purpose of telling a story, they sometimes actually help us. Unless the goal is to make a fashion statement, or to imply something else about the character, sticking to stereotypes to a certain extent serves for the purpose. By doing this, we avoid distracting the audience and we keep the focus on the&nbsp;action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s take some other examples where a person may be wearing&nbsp;sneakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here we have a cool teenager, leaning on a ledge, drinking juice. We can draw various sneakers for a teenager instead of&nbsp;Chucks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"980\" height=\"764\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-816582\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_4.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_4-480x374.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 980px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s say our story focuses on a woman who\u2019s in her late 20s and she\u2019s late for work. We can draw stylish sneakers instead of the classic Chuck Taylors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"980\" height=\"764\" src=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-816583\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_5.jpg 980w, https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/06\/SneakersZoom_5-480x374.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 980px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Long story short, keeping our sneaker library updated affects the variety of the characters that we can create. There are many sneaker models to draw for your character other than classic Converse All&nbsp;Stars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sneakers have been a big part of our daily outfits for the last few decades, and as you see in the examples above, which model someone wears can not only be an indicator of their character or their age, but also it is a strong indicator of the year that they live in. Stay tuned for the next post in this series, where I will be moving on to other type of shoe models to draw for your characters: high heels!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sneakers, boots, stilettos, flip-flops \u2026 There are so many shoe models that we can draw for each character. But how should we choose the right one?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":97,"featured_media":816576,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2318,2338,6124],"tags":[56],"class_list":["post-816532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-creative-inspiration","category-how-to","category-learn-character-design","tag-character-design"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/816532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/97"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=816532"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/816532\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/816576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=816532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=816532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/community.wacom.com\/en-us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=816532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}