How to Draw Fashion Shoes

By Lisa Arnold and Marianne Egan from Fashion Drawing For Dummies

Many fashion artists feel intimidated when drawing shoes, but if you can draw feet, you can draw a shoe. Shoes finish a fashion look. Like clothes, shoe styles change quickly, so keep up with what’s new. But keep the classics on hand (or foot!) as well — they only get better with age.

Enlarge 1 Draw a fierce looking high-heeled shoe. Draw a woman’s foot featuring the Barbie arch. Draw the sole of the shoe with a line that follows the Barbie arch along the bottom of the foot. Connect the sole line to the foot at both ends and shade in the area between the lines. Draw the heel of the shoe with two almost parallel but tapering lines. Shade in the bottom of the heel for the rubber tip. Add a small reverse S curve just above the heel for the ankle bone. Use curved lines to map out the shoe at the back of the heel and in the toe area of the shoe. Then connect the heel and toe with a line to show the side of the shoe.	Enlarge 2 Draw a charming flat. Draw a shapely foot and mark the ankle bone with an S curve. A slender ankle is a fashion artist’s must when drawing flats. Follow the shape of the foot to draw in the top edge of the shoe, giving it a gentle curve. Add a little curve for a heel under the heel of the foot and shade for highlights. Even flats have heels — they’re just very low.	Enlarge 3 Draw a guy’s shoe. Use a triangle to start your manly foot. Don’t go too small — guys have big feet! Refine the foot by sketching in a slight arch, a rounded heel, and a slight curved dip before the toes. Form the body of the loafer. Start with a line that begins at the top of the heel and goes down around the heel, along the bottom of the foot, and back up to the top of the toes. Draw the top edge of the loafer by starting at the top of the heel and drawing a line along the top edge of the foot and curving over the tops of the toes to meet the first line. Add a thin rectangular heel. Add the front piece of the top of the shoe with a gentle curve across the top of the foot. Shade to show the grain of the leather.
Enlarge 4 Draw a tall woman's boot. Draw the Barbie arch. Draw lines just beyond the foot and ankle outline to create the front, back, and bottom of the boot. Draw a curve at midcalf for the top of the boot, connecting the front and back of the boot. Add a heel that reaches the sole of the boot and shade it in for contrast. Add folds at the front and back of the boot for a slouchy look.	Enlarge 5 Draw a hip guy’s hiking boots. Start with a triangle and add a curve to the heel and a slight arch. A guy’s boot has a heel, too, just not a high one. Draw the general shape of a boot by loosely following the contours of the foot. Draw a line just below the bottom edge of the boot to create the sole of the boot. Add a curve above the ankle for the top of the boot. Make the curve rise a little bit at the front of the leg; this will be the top of the boot’s tongue. Add a cuff at the sides and back of the boot by drawing a line parallel to the top of the boot from the back to where the tongue begins. Connect the lines with a curved line to give the cuff some shape. Draw a line parallel to the top of the foot, extending it from the top of the tongue to about two-thirds of the way down the shoe. Add in laces that cross from one side of the tongue to the other. Use a zigzagged line on the sole to add the tread. Finish the boot by adding a line from the front to the back of the boot at the midpoint of the foot, showing where the materials change. Add shading to indicate differences in color.	Enlarge 6 Draw a women’s sandal with style. Draw the Barbie arch. Thicken the line along the bottom of the foot to form the sandal’s sole. Sketch a high, tapered heel for a dressy summer look. Add one curved line across the top of the toes to form the toe of the sandal, and then add two sets of parallel lines across the top of the foot for the straps. Another set of curved parallel lines forms the ankle strap. Decorate with bling by adding small circles of different sizes to represent sparkle from glitter or beads. Vary the pencil pressure so some are darker than others.
Enlarge 7 Draw a classic wedge. Draw the Barbie arch. Draw a straight line down from the heel to the ground and a perpendicular line that extends to the beginning of the toes. Slightly angle the vertical line toward the ball of the foot for a stylish look. Add two parallel curves across the top of the foot to form sandal strap and shade it in.	Enlarge 8 Draw flip-flops for a fella. Sketch a triangle for a male foot. Add a thin sole at the bottom of the foot by following the line of the foot. Extend the line slightly beyond the toes and heel. Draw two wide parallel curves to form a thick sandal strap that wraps from the side of the foot over the top. Depending on the view of the foot, you may want to make part of the strap disappear between the big toe and second toe to make the flip-flop look like a thong.