Shoes Paint (preferably Jacquard) Sharpie pen/pen Water Palette/Plate/Foil/etc. Paper towels Working surface possibly the following... Brushes (brush sizes and types covered in Unitards > Painting > Tutorials Squeeze bottles Sponges - natural or synthetic Squirt bottles Sealer Felt Hot glue gun
Step 1: With a pen (I used a sharpie) sketch out areas to be colored.
Step 2:  Fill in blocks of color with acrylic paint (I used Jacquard's "Metalllic Gold"), painting the lightest areas first.  How thick the consistancy of the paint is is up to you; for shoes, I dilute it only with a drop or two of water.   Don't paint too thickly!  Even if you end up needing 2-3 thin coats, it won't crack when bent, like thickly-layered paint will.
Step 3:Continue until all of your blocks of light color are finished.  You may be using just one color, or multiple colors--here, I'm only using gold.
Step 4: Now add some texture to those areas!  Because your next layer will be darker, you can't paint over it with a lighter color if you make a mistake--the fix won't show up!  (The only exception I have seen is splattering of white paint onto a dark shoe; splatters are thicker than normal brush strokes and will pop against a dark color). For this reason I always make lighter-colored areas larger than I want them to allow for "trimming".  In the left photo, I am extending my 'splotches' by using the tip of a flat bush to create a hatching effect.
Step 5:  Next, add medium shades.  You may be again filling in areas of color, or, like me, using a small brush to outline shapes in more detail. I used "Yellow Orchre" on a size 1 brush to define the final shape of the spots.  The darker color also gives them depth.  These lines will serve as a guide to where I place my darkest shade(s) of paint.
Step 6:  Continue until all of your medium blocks of color and/or texture are finished.
Step 7:  Dip a small brush into your darker color(s) and carefully outline all of your light shapes.   On my shoes I am using black, but if your shoes require multiple dark colors, repeat steps 7 - 9 until you fill in each section of shoe.
Step 8: When your outlining is complete, use a larger brush to fill in large, blank areas.
Step 9: Continue until all of your dark colors are finished.
Step 10:  Now comes detail work on light areas.  You can add texture, small dots, extensions of a dark color onto a light colors, etc. to create fun shapes and illusions. To the left, I am hatching a "spot within a spot" using "Jacquard's Metallic Bronze" textile paint over the original gold.
Step 11: Continue.....
...and add as many details as you like!
Step 12:  When you are completely finished painting, you may want to seal your shoes, especially if you indend on wearing them often.  I use a spray meant to water-seal leather and canvas.  Follow container instructions.
Step 13:  Cut two squares of felt (approximately 3" x 3") and sketch a paw pad.
Step 13:  Cut out your shapes.
Step 13:  Glue on your paw pad(s) with a hot glue gun.
Step 13:  Voila!
Remember to paint the bottoms of your shoes, but don't worry if the paint doesn't stick to the rough rubber soles and heels. A little bit of paint goes a looooong way, so always start with a small amount and add more if you need to.  I personally start with 1-3 teaspoons, even if I plan on working on a large area.  Remember that you can always pour more out, but you can never pour your paint back in. Most paint stays usable for 2-3 days when covered tightly with aluminum foil.  Over time it will become dry and plastic-y.  Remember that chemical fixatives last only a certain amount of time, so if you re-use paint, be sure to add more if you've exceeded the time limit. Mix colors and textures for a more varied, detailed look! Clean a squeeze bottle by removing the lid and using your finger to flush out extra paint under running water.  Use a Q-tip to reach hard-to-access areas. Always clean brushes with a brush cleaner, never with regular soap, after finishing your session.  Most art and hobby stores sell several brands of cleaner that have instructions on the container.  Do not let paint dry on brushes. If paint does dry on your brush, lather it gently in brush cleaner and allow it to soak for 5-10 minutes before rinsing it with warm water, gently massaging the bristles as you do. Use quality brushes for more control and quality.  In the world of brushes, you get what you pay for.  I have been using the mid-priced Sapphire brand of brushes (sold at Michaels, AC Moore, and online) for several years and have yet to be disappointed.