I teach on this platform how to make shoes, different patterns, different models. I teach here the traditional way of shoemaking and nontraditional, my personal way of making shoes that I developed through the years.
But the important thing to know is that everything that I teach here on the site is been tested.
I only deliver content that will contribute to your work to achieve great results, only things and techniques, which worked and I know that they will make your craft easier and your learning process faster, because you are important to me.
5 reasons how Footwear Design Course will change the way you make your shoes and upgrade your skills
As I give those answers pretty much each week privately, I thought it will be a good idea to have them here on the site.
Seeing the full course lessons on the platform, complicated designs, rules and information of this course descriptions, many of you, especially the beginners, have the feeling that it's too early or too progressive level for them.
Well, not really. As what I teach in this course I use myself and my biggest regret is, that I didn't work this way earlier in my carrier. Leave and learn. So here are 5 reasons why:
Master all types of footwear
There are many different models, types , and styles of footwear and it could take you years to learn them all. Here is a super useful article where you can learn about most common shoe types.
For this course using research and experience, I created full footwear map dividing shoes into groups of same characteristics and rules of construction.
This technique will help your fast learning and understanding of multiple models, as you will be focusing only on their group rules and not each model separately.
This technique will help you to understand which the last type to use for your shoes and how you can create combinations of models and styles, and most importantly how to do it correctly.
The image below showcases boots I designed and crafted using a pump shoe last (rather than a boot last) while I was working at the Vicini factory in Italy. The reality is that there are numerous shoe last types, each corresponding to specific shoe styles. To delve deeper into this valuable knowledge, I invite you to read this article:"Shoe last types".
Learn the rules to create perfect shoes
Learning the rules of construction is so fundamental knowledge that you must have to progress in your work.
You will learn how to design correct models of different types of shoes and this knowledge that you will gain will help you to avoid unnecessary mistakes. To familiarize yourself with the common mistakes beginners often make in shoemaking and to prevent these errors in your own work, I invite you to read the article: 'How to make shoes - Common Mistakes in the Shoemaking Process'.
Although rules are there to guide us how to work, but not just, they will also help you to overcome the barriers of classic shoes modeling/pattern making and will help you to create your own designs and variations of models.
Simplify design and creation process
Using the rules, the knowledge of construction and Freehand pattern technique that you will learn in the course, you will be able to create shoe models without difficult pattern calculations.
As this is one of the most complicated steps, to calculate the construction, to assemble your idea into one pattern that will work, it will give you maximum control of what you will create.
This approach to design and construction of your shoes ( as in this course they certainly go together) will enable you to create the shoes that you always wanted to make, but didn't know how.
By simplifying the process you see the results immediately, and all changes that you need to make before you will move on to work with the actual materials for your shoes. This way you will make fewer mistakes with maximum results.
Create entire collection just with one last
Lack of materials and components is always an issue, no matter where you from.
You can overcome the lack of recourses problem using the tools that you will gain in this course.
Using the knowledge, how each model constructed combining with Freehand technique and design you can create an entire collection just with one last. Using only Pump last for example, you can create boots, shoes with laces, sandals, moccasins etc.
This technique will also help you to overcome lack of other materials as well, combining design, freehand and rules of construction.
You don't need to know how to draw
As part of Freehand pattern technique, that I teach in the course, I show that for you to create your shoes, from design to the finished product you don't need to know how to draw, you don't even need to draw at all, I don't!
As part of simplifying the process and working with the Freehand technique, I canceled this middle process, because as we are working right away on the object there is no need to draw it.
This is the shortest explanation of the course that I can do, hope it was clear enough and you can find more information on the course registration page:
Footwear Design Course Knowledge -Technique - Freedom
If you have a question, or just finished the course place your comment below.
I’m working now only on making my boots perfect, but learning rules in your course made me think of shoes that I can do. Hey, maybe I will make a collection too :). Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Rod