How To: Draw shoes

There's so much you can do with a shoe. Be it the house in a fairy tale or just on the foot of a man, you will want to know how to sketch a good shoe. Keep on practicing and try giving your shoes a little wear-and-tear character.

Drawing shoes is where the rubber meets the road in the art world. Step into this drawing experience to master the basic techniques of sketching footwear.

You Will Need

* A graphite pencil
* Paper
* A simple low-heeled shoe
* An eraser

Step 1: Draw simple shape

Draw a rectangle, narrowing one end to establish the side view of a basic shoe, noting that most types of shoes fit into this boxy shape.

Step 2: Refine the outline

Refine the outline of your shoe, making sure to clearly reflect the curve where the shoe surrounds the ankle.

Add character to your drawing by capturing subtle signs of wear.

Step 3: Add heel and outsole

Draw a short rectangle for the heel, positioning it below the left edge of your original rectangle. Add a thin rectangle from the toe to the heel, connecting them.

Step 4: Add details
Add details, including stitching, laces, lace eyes, and decorations such as buckles, straps, and fabric design.

Shoes are typically sewn together at the toe joint and the heel-ankle joint.

Step 5: Erase guidelines and shade

Erase unwanted guidelines and shade shadowed areas of the shoe. Now, to make sure your drawing is more than a footnote, frame it!

Scientific evidence shows humans wore shoes 40,000 years ago during the Middle Paleolithic period