Adidas Next Step

First visual reference of the product


Hey Victor,
Glad to see a new footwear project thread started. I think I might jump back to sketching before getting too lost in rendering if I was you. I think you still have a lot to explore, and refine your project statement more clearly.

You mentioned pushing the aesthetic towards minimalism but the concept looks rather busy and fussy with the circuit board graphic. Is there a purpose for it or it is just aesthetic? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with using it as a graphic but maybe more subtle and less heavy handed.

What is the thought behind the dramatic arch in the sole? From a performance standpoint you might be causing a lot of issues.

Looking forward to seeing more

Hello Choto, I like to know the final shape of the product to see and recognize the things that can be improved or removed or added. I am exploring an alternative aesthetic to adizero basketball line. Adizero maintains paraphernalia, fascinating and very nice, very charged about objects inserted and added to the basic shape of the shoe. I want to keep these objects, and platforms, but looking for a minimalist, organic lines on objects. It is not necessary for now look for a minimalist shoe decorative patterns, but in the objects. The arch is exaggerated, but the intent is aesthetic. We can reduce the arc, but I represent as a highlighted feature of the product, highlighting the platforms of the sole. I have seen very large arched soles, I dont know the disadvantages. I have to find that out. I do what I can, with my limited knowledge. I can do more sketches, but I dont have too much time. I want to finish at least 4 proposals before the deadline.


Thanks por the feedback

Exploring into the same design.


Without the arc.

This first exercise of creativity has been against time. Trying to concentrate on a basic idea in mind, and translate that inspiration to paper immediately. True to the first resources at hand. Recall the good in every sketch, and keep it until the end of the proposal. The main lines of the sketch chosen, have left me satisfied, because they represent the essence of the product. Fluency and organic design in the sole, keeping the platforms, subtly, to make a difference with the current line adizero. Minimalism is still not very attractive to the consumer of basketball shoes, but it’s a good try, try to follow this path, slowly, to the simple. Just need to make a nice design of the sole, accommodate the plate circuit symbols, which are those that give traction. Against time, and make quick decisions to shape an idea.

Tomorrow, my autoconclusión of this exercise of creativity, things that I liked and I did not like.

Regards.

Victor: I think that you are getting a little ahead of yourself with this design. I am not really seeing Tron or Geiger in this concept (im unfamiliar with Ben10). I see circuitry but Tron is much more stylized. Is this an aesthetic exercise? What performance features are you incorporating into your design?

Take a closer look at your proportions, they are throwing off the design of your shoe. As others are recommending you should spend more time in the sketch/ideation phase.

You mention that one of the possible goals with this project is to catch the attention of adidas for an internship. The industry is much more impressed by nice sketch pages showing well thought ideas, than a rendering of a shoe.
You show a lot of enthusiasm which is good, but slow down and enjoy coming up with ideas and sketching.

Personally I have no intention of seeking an internship. But it is possible that some of the students who visit the forum, have a chance. That’s the goal, to propose. They insist much on the sketches. If you have a clear idea of ​​what you want to do, you do not wander too. This is an exercise, a few things go right and others wrong. After having a proposal, you can make changes, take the good of every job. This is the goal.

Thanks for watching

Conclusion and self-criticism.




Proportion is wrong?

Next exercise:

After a difficult exploration in organic design, I realized that it is very difficult to try a radical change in the adizero line. I’ll let the organic design by the end of these exercises. Now I will explore different platforms in the sole, slightly change these geometric solids, seek inspiration in tech, machinery, futurism, constructivism.

Some time ago I thought of adapting the beautiful structure of a leaf spring cars. It is a very classic piece, but I could not adapt successfully to a shoe. I’ll try.

More Adidas

This is an old sketch, a very basic design, trying to adapt a pattern to the shoe. Was not satisfied, but focusing adizero style and designing platforms, shoe inclination, achieved something interesting.

I was thinking of a product to offer advantages of stability, traction, to link it to “Magnetism”. Recalling an exercise in school, bring a magnet to iron filings, and remembering those that formed concentric figures. Trying to make a perforation pattern to follow that concept. To make the concept more focused on magnetism, I adapted a strap secured by two magnets.













A friend told me that the design of Adidas Magnet does not appear in the post. The design is positioned to the extreme right side of the monitor. You have to move the bar that is in the bottom of the page. Is part of marketing and that sort of thing.





















some cool stuff here, but some issues with each of them. i feel like you get about 70% through a project then move onto the next one, at least thats how it seems from seeing your work on here.

for the first design you posted:
raised arch area is cool as it is similar to what they are doing on the new jordan shoe, but as mentioned your proportions are off. with the raised arch your forefoot pad is to far forward and your balance/traction would be thrown off. Also you show the picture of the foot x-ray but in your photo you can tell that there is not enough room at the big toe, as it is now your tow would be constantly rubbing at the top of the shoe, i would say to add about 2-4mm to give the toe room to move a bit. also your foot is sitting REALLY HIGH in this shoe, you have about 25mm of EVA at least under the the heel, i would think that goes against your design of the rounded off heel, which i think could be interesting. and according to your foot x-ray as your template you have the big toe VERY close to the end of the shoe, if this is the case you would not be able to have a traditional toe shape in the top view, it would have to be more of a oblique barefoot type shape. you should try to use a shoe last as your template and not a foot bone structure there are many reasons for this that i dont care to get into right now, or at least if you wanted to use a foot bone structure i would expect you to construct your shoe in a way that reflects that, not the same old way.

magnet design:
you need to post a photo that we can see the shoe, so that is design failure #1 here, nobody cares about the marketing until we think its a cool shoe, at least for this forum i would bet. show us the shoe first then maybe show the marketing image but scale it down so it fits with the website please. other than that this magnet shoe looks pretty good, i think its pretty well balanced and proportioned and the graphic you have on it is interesting.

graffiti shoe:
look sinteresting enough, but again whats the point? i think this could be a cool streetwear shoe, probably not a true performance shoe though.

good work though, but i think most of the experienced shoe designers here are looking for you to put together a full story around a shoe, more than just a couple sketches that aren’t really at the level they need to be before you move to the rendering. What i mean by that is that i dont think any of the sketches/designs you have shown for the first project really grab me as being a nice design, or even sketched well, so i echo that you need to spend more time in that phase, its clear once you have a good design you can render it well, but its the good design part that you need more focus on. Then you end up throwing in a couple arbitrary inspiration images. So there is nothing to really ‘buy into’ other than do i like this design at its face value… that is a risky proposition for a designer, it can work sometimes, but not what i would recommend a young designer or student try to do.

I had thought of a line of shoes that can be customized, the consumer can make a graffiti design and translate it into the upper, line designs very simple maybe printing in silkscreen, thinking of something handmade. Or maybe with a mask covering the uppers, somewhat similar to airbrushing. the idea is to shift the culture of graffiti to a shoes.

This product visualization, is my attempt to make a shoe inspired by graffiti, in a shoe, the straight line tends to be a little curve, lines designed to be perfect, but the imperfection of the line by hand, gives life, and is a combination of organic and mechanical.

Adidas, which has a stiffness in his line, very focused on a concept that has given them success. But, there are markets that are being ignored, there are consumers who do not appreciate the futuristic designs, rigid designs, and this exercise is about finding concepts, trying to get away from the characteristic of the brand. It is difficult and risky, trying to get away from a line that has success, so I proposed to divide the proposals into two parts, a line that focuses on urban fashion, with designs also inspired by technology, and another line that focuses organic designs. The easy part is to maintain a similar vein, it is difficult to propose organic concepts. Initially I thought of a way to minimalism, that does not mean I’m looking for minimalism, as in basketball is still not very attractive, but try to make designs with simple structures.


Dziner82.


Thanks for the feedback, I really apreciate your comments and your time.

Obviously I’m not focused on the technical aspects of the shoes, or performance characteristics. Honestly, I do not know where to begin to design a shoe with innovations or performance with basic features.

There is something counterproductive, something dangerous, something to do with friction in wood floor in basketball courts. A sole too sticky, causing the foot to stop suddenly, with the risk of serious injury to the anterior cruciate ligament, or ankles. I can not decide on that aspect, because I am no expert in materials, I should point out features that could be engineered. Thinking reduce the area of contact with the flooring, can handle a special product to reduce friction. I do not know, it’s just my imagination. I have no idea of proportions, all designs adapted to the natural shape of the foot, trying to fit well. In the design having x-rays of the foot, I exaggerated the thickness of the sole (My mistake, isnt midsole) so you can be well visualized. I know some things have a risky proportions and with little support, but I have oversized the characteristics of each design, to make it very obvious and outstanding, for the person who appreciates the design immediately know that this is the proposal, and is treated to judge the concept. I’ve seen sketches of designers who exaggerate the aesthetic and proportion, do it on purpose to highlight those areas, try to do something about it, highlighting certain features for review.

It is, to make a product “real” implies modify and adapt to perform well, but the purpose of this exercise is to seek alternative aesthetic of a product line, in this case: Adidas.


Personally, I’ve learned some lessons, I have clung to find five feet to the cat. I had an idea and I have clung to find good sides, but there are not many things that rescue. It could take five years proposing ideas, and the results would be the same. Exercise is now reversed. Trying to grow the character, be more humble, and work spontaneously. I’ve learned that skepticism is unfavorable in a designer. Never discard a line without drawing it. I have based This exercise on hunches, “I feel this way, and this concept can give interesting results.” I’ve risked a spontaneous idea and I’ve been true to that feeling, I’ve been lucky so far, and I am satisfied with the exercise of creativity. “I have an idea right now, I want the structure, I know it will work, but I also want a base to start it to build, I want the inspiration and concept, and now I want to see the product, to bet.” And there’s the product can be displayed, and you can change things, remove and replace. Of course I’m no expert in shoe design, but exercise puts me in the position of being the owner of the brand, the marketing manager, the designer and the consumer. And that’s good exercise, be free to propose whatever, and interesting things can emerge. If I was working as an employee, of course I should make 1000 sketches, until the marketing manager is satisfied with the work. But, for now, it is not.
It’s confusing, seeing the features of different products, there are shoes with very high arches, there are shoes with a very thick sole, others with a very thin sole, etc … The next step is to seek information about the characteristics and performance. There are many people who are in charge of it, meanwhile the exercise is to find concepts that attempt to move away from the current adidas line. Why? It’s simple. There is a shortage of creativity in the design of shoes. The brands are competing in who is the most adept at copying. On the other hand, there are brands that are frozen in time, whose designs do not evolve, and it is disappointing, for a designer, see unfair competition between brands. Crewkid asked me: Is this an aesthetic exercise? What are you Incorporating performance features into your design?

I feel that if a designer is able to innovate in performance of shoes, you should not give your creativity, the ideas should be protected. The aesthetics of a product can not be patented, but there are ideas that can be protected.


In the first design, I tried to merge the foot with the product, a shoe stylized to look like a machine, when I saw Tron motorcycle, I remembered the old illustrations of heavy metal magazine, showing motorcycles following a stylized human figure. Something I wanted to do with this design, despite the performance problems that a shoe can have. But that’s the inspiration.





Thanks.

I’ve seen a site where some designers take very seriously the 3D renderings. They explain the advantages of rendering close to reality.

http://www.aniden.com/portfolio/view/under-armour-shoe-renderings

You have a lot of enthusiasm and ideas, and it needs to be channeled in a usable way. Every time someone gives you feedback you find a reason to ignore it or say “I don’t know the technical aspects”. In the professional world you will need to listen to feedback, take it in, think about it and integrate it. Start demonstrating how you can apply the information being given back to you.

Forget the renderings for awhile. Get the design right. Once the design is correct, then begin a rendering.

Check out the below image. I put some magenta lines on your last sketch to show where to push the proportions to get that right first.

Also, the second image shows some basic foot terms. You can learn a lot more about the anatomy of the foot simply by googling.

It helps to start by sketching feet. Stop thinking of them as shoes, and start thinking of them as prosthetic calluses with cushioning. When I started designing footwear, I started by drawing feet, then adding layers. Cut up a bunch of old shoes with a hacksaw and an exacto knife so you can see what goes inside.
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