Projects: Painting the Foot

Laurie Sisson

The Saddle shoe- classic 50's

Saddle shoes also came in brown.

I once saw a girl wearing red saddle shoes, but those were rare.
I use the 12C which is a teenage flat or woman's flat basic shoe shape. 
The paint makes all the difference.

• Wire The Foot following instructions.
  
• Paint the area from the sock top to the knee to match your doll's skin tone.
  
• Paint the area from skin line down, white.  Bottom of the shoe is black but allow white to dry completely before you  attempt to paint the second color. Spend your time tying two bows of black thread.
  
• Ok, ready for the black, use a small brush. Paint the sole letting your brush follow the groove.  For the saddle, imagine a line from the top of the shoe where it ties, to the front of the heel and draw it with your brush.  Widen this line towards the toe until it looks right.
  If you don't think you can do this, cut out  piece of black cotton fabric, cut to size and glue on with Velverette, tacky glue for fabric.
  
• Go ahead and glue on the Bunka trim for the edge of the sock. Run a line of glue with a toothpick then use your fingernail edge to set the Bunka. Never mash Bunka.
  
• Glue on the shoelace bows.
  
• Finishing touch secret: Coat only the shoe area with a light coat of fingernail polish clear topcoat.  If you have used fabric this will still work.
  

The Mary Jane

Use any C-profile
Foot with this painting technique.

The directions are the same for the Mary Jane except that the shape of the black paint is different and instead of bows, you have a strap across the instep.
Don't panic about having to paint a straight line, glue on a thin piece of black silk ribbon.  Finish with our secret weapon the clear topcoat of fingernail polish.

Modern Mary Janes even come in pale pink.