From 13/06/22 to 13/06/23, I sketched a shoe every day for a year as a way to develop my skill of rapid sketching, embark on an artistic odyssey exploring my creative processes, and journal my day-to-day life through rough drawings.
I would like to take you on a very relaxed journey through 30 of my favourite designs and my reviews looking back at them.
#30: Nike 'Bold Logo' Sneaker
Rather than using the usual swoosh logo on this simple silhouette, 'NIKE' lettering is laid horizontally on the vamp. The swoosh logo works like a charm to make a sneaker look 'fast' but the lettering on this design works just as well.
#29: New Balance Lifestyle Sneaker 'The Titan'
A thick sole with wavy upper details. The famous N logo has been horizontally stretched for a speedy aesthetic, paired with mesh layering along the vamp.
#28: New Balance Chunky Lifestyle Sneaker 'XTeRunner'
The sole of this sketch shares similarities with Converse's Run Star Motion model and the piping elements of this sneaker's upper look a little like the ones from the Nike Air Max 98, so, looking from afar, this sneaker can definitely be considered as a 'hybrid'.
#27: Nike Hybrid Runner 'Apollo'
A strong retro feel with this one. The basic shapes that make up the upper componentry, a stitched swoosh on the side, and wavy elements on the sole unit all unite to build a '90s cross trainer aesthetic.
#26: 'Quilted Comfort' Nike Sneaker
This is what I imagine a quilted blanket would look like if it were a shoe. It's something I would wear as a 'house shoe', like the Kendrick Lamar Nike Cortez.
#25: Travis Scott x Nike Runner 'V Truth'
Speaking of musicians, this Nike running sneaker uses the reverse swoosh repopularised by Travis Scott.
#24: Nike 'XtraWeave' Running Sneaker
Another Nike running sneaker but this time with a greater emphasis on lightweight materials such as a woven upper, and ZoomX foam midsole.
#23: Adidas Ultraboost 'Sprint Form' Running Shoe
I like this sketch from April as the thick Ultraboost midsole looks as if it could provide a lot of cushioning. The holes in the toe area and vamp and the cloud-like stripes also add to the lightweight and breathable look.
#22: Munich XTrainer 'SpringLock'
Munich has one of the cooler logos in the footwear industry; a bold 'X'. This works even better when the sneaker is a cross trainer like this design.
#21: Hoka Road Runner 'SplitL!ner'
HOKA is a brand widely celebrated for having comfortable running shoes. Aligning with the brand DNA, this sketch from January portrays a lightweight & dynamic sports sneaker with discreet branding.
#20: Adidas Ultraboost 'Mechanicus' Hybrid Running Sneaker
A tank-like sneaker at a quick glance; with its very aggressive outsole that rides up onto the Ultraboost cushioning. The upper is made up of blocky componentry, much like Adidas' three stripes on this sketch.
#19: Nike SportStyle 'Wired' Sneaker
I named this one 'wired' due to the great focus on piping throughout most components. This looks like a lovechild of the Air Max 98 and the Air Max Plus, just with a relaxed sole unit.
#18: Nike Retro-Style Runner 'Stroopwafel'
I can imagine this silhouette being released back in the '80s alongside the Air Max 1 but being outnumbered in sales by its sibling, only to make a glorious comeback decades later.
#17: Nike Runner 'ColdClimber'
This one also looks like a relative of the Air Max 1, however, I imagine this design being released with weather-resistant materials and a sturdy Vibram outsole and marketed as a hiking-specialist Nike sneaker.
#16: Munich Lifestyle Sneaker 'Montañoso'
Back again with the Spanish brand, Munich, this 'mountainous' sneaker earns its name from a layered sole unit design. To make the name even more appropriate, I would also imagine this sneaker consisting of Gore-Tex and leather layers.
#15: Karhu '210' Lifestyle Sneaker
Bringing some attention to an underrated brand, this Karhu sneaker could rival many sneakers on retail store shelves today. Think soft suedes and an ultra-light cushioned sole as this sneaker would intend wearers to get outside and explore new terrains.
#14: Munich Running Shoe 'RapÃGO!'
Low cut and simple- just what you need from a running sneaker. This would look great with a splash of bright colours, but would also look equally fast with earthy colours.
#13: New Balance SportStyle 'Heracles'
A common theme today is to mix sporty functions with style. Although this genre of sneakers is best mastered by one of my favourite brands- Salomon, this New Balance design would become my daily-worn shoe.
#12: Nike Sneaker 'Commodus'
To make it a very versatile, flexible and mobile sneaker, the vamp would be made of Nike's Battleknit 2.0 which is also why I imagine this sneaker being one of the most breathable on this list.
#11: Nike Sneaker 'Zoom 330'
Fast and lightweight is the aesthetic I was aiming for with this design, hence the name 'Zoom 330'. The dynamism of this sketch, with such a small area to work in, earns this sketch a high spot in number 11.
#10: Leather Sneaker 'St. Crispin'
Some of you sneaker and shoe-mad folks may know about the patron saint of shoemaking, St. Crispin and I named this sketch after him as it utilises a traditional derby-style upper construction and, in a sense, goes "back to basics" or to the roots of many styles popular today.
#9: New Balance 'Pumpkin' Sneaker
Making its way into the top 10 of the list has to be the 'Pumpkin' which I turned into a Halloween-special render last October. It's a very playful design and I don't think the brand has ever released a sneaker with a logo so big but we're still a few months away from the next festive holiday so there's still time, New Balance!
#8: Adidas Runner 'SpeedwaY'
The 'SpeedwaY' is the result of a very very rapid sketch that somehow turned into one of my favourites from the other 364. Not only was the sketch very fast, the running shoe also looks rapid- with its cushioned sole unit, utilitarian pull tabs, and layering of upper componentry.
#7: Hoka Running Sneaker '4Trak'
In the number seven spot is another running sneaker but this time it's of the HOKA brand. It's not the most complex of designs by any means but it sure would blend in alongside existing HOKA models. Its commerciality alone pushes it higher than most of the other sketches here.
#6: New Balance Lifestyle Sneaker '2270v1'
Many lifestyle shoes today were once solely worn for running. I imagine this sneaker being just like many of the others that were released in the early '90s; totally forgotten until suddenly receiving a biblical redemption from an Instagram influencer who was randomly spotted wearing an untouched, straight-out-of-the-box pair. It wasn't always cool but it sure is now!
#5: Asics Runner 'GEL-LYTE MM'
What colours would you imagine being on this shoe? If you say neon green and black, we're now great friends.
#4: Salomon Hiking Shoe 'XCX1'
Just like the HOKA runner in spot #7, this Salomon hiking shoe would 100% fit the respective brand DNA very well. I don't think this one would even get to spend a minute on a store shelf; it would be sold out by Gorpcore beasts.
#3: Adidas Runner 'OnTheCloud'
Ultraboost already looks like a bunch of cumulonimbus clouds compacted into a midsole but having these bubbly-shaped components on the upper further enhances this running sneaker's lightweight and cushioned feel.
#2: Cowboy Boot 'Tulip Field'
Being one of the first cowboy boots I have ever sketched, I look back at this sketch from the very beginning of this "sketch every day" mission with pride. Six months later, I would release a full-swing bespoke cowboy boot design project inspired by the nature of my home country and the work of the greatest bootmaker of our time, Lee Miller.
#1: New Balance '1090 v5' Runner
The 'most dynamic and the most on-trend design', from this list, goes to this sketch of a futuristic New Balance running sneaker that reintroduces and completely revitalises the lesser-known 1090 model. Do you think it's worthy enough for the number 1 spot?
I encourage you to also bring your pen to paper! Sketching can be as casual as you want it to be. You may want to do it to develop your skills, or perhaps simply want a way to visually express your daily experiences; either way, spending as little as a few minutes a day exploring your creative capabilities, with only two of the most basic tools, can be a surprising form of therapy.