Aim : to develop an athletic brand for a football star, David Beckham
Using : innovative technology showcased in the first signature shoe
By : 28th of Feb
Targets :
decide on shoe styles, work on shapes.
(seeking inspiration from his life / style)
simultaneously work on branding/ logo
use the chosen design cues from the sketches and put them together in a realistic wearable shoe with good proportions, by drawing over a foot pic.
make the ideas presentable.
maybe put the rendered products in an “ad”
so… dunno if i can finish all this, i’m still sketching and doodling my nanoglide concept. but good idea anyways i think, so here are the first footwear sketches for Bsquared.
the "wing " near the arch, and the stitching lines on the other side in the shape of the cross take inspiration from beck’s winged cross tattoo on his neck, he got it done as a religious talisman for protection for his kids, its like the shoe is protecting the foot from injury and giving it flight.
the logo is coming along- needs work with the letter spacing (esp. in “brand”)
seems like you have been busy- with this proj. and the nano.
for these design:
I am not seeing an inspiration in your concepts. what aspects of his “life/style” are you looking at, what is it there that is triggering these designs?
for the technology- would like to hear what you have done.
ufo: lol
mm: hmm… i kinda liked the spacing on the logo- it was my version of a drop of water slowly coming out of a tap and dropping ever so slowly before softly “plopping”
maybe not cool, esp if my potential customer (=you) dint get it.
i have dropped the “2” in the logo, it is too irrelavant.
or maybe i’ll keep it.
im really stressed out now, ive got public board exams (HS finals) beggining tommo, my comp is virtually an isolated system: no internet (phone out) no flash drive access( usb ports out) and my cd writer is not working.
so how do i get my comp project (sudoku generator / solver) off my computer and to my examiner ??? waaaa
so i cant post any images, but anyways…
i really wanted to post up my colour scheme: pink .
i felt that pink reflects a lot on DBs attitude to life, besides the obvious metrosexual connotations, his flair on the field as well as his hairstyles, expensive lifestyle, bloody hot wife, fancy cars- it all seems to come toghether in PINK
the shoe will be highly reflective silver, with a thin pink lining for the “hole”
and inner bootie in white, im trying to make a posh shoe: so maybe some research on expensive materials(merino wool?)
the shoe is assymetric, like beckham: he is so full of contrasts
he’s got this refined really uber smooth look, and yet talks in a common dialect, you know? his voice and sppech mannerisms lack the aristocratic touch that his looks seem to imply.
and besides, hes a guy who wears a sarong!
you can see in the profile that the shoe has silhouett of a mountain kinda,
its a very blatant inspiration from mt fuji, the chiselled look that is reflected in beckham the man and his look.
and as mentioned before, the tattoo work for wing and cross.
the tech: a helium filled hexagon celled matrix for the forefoot and heel (two separate sheets) and im trying to think of some “natural” cushioning system generally over this, you know- something that doesnt need to be moulded or shaped, maybe really really thick wool or coconut coir. this is a luxury shoe for players who can afford this kind of a blend of nature and the future.
the helium cushioning system is looking good, should think of a name for it now maybe something simple like helios.
… or maybe a blend of wool and coir and spunge?..
dunno yet, will work on it next sunday. (sunday is my day of rest / doodling / sketching / no studies!)
I am still unclear where you are going with this project. It seems a bit scattered. also you have alot of writting an not much sketching, which is fine too, but when you are talking about “a helium filled hexagon celled matrix for the forefoot and heel” It would be great to see this visualized and so we can disuss how you have designed and tried to solve these things you have done.
Also just as a suggestion: I think to have more people participate in your topic an post replys, maybe asking us questions about your design choices, inspirations…etc I would think involve the viewer more and spark a conversation(s). I think right now we are unsure what you want from us.
will be interesting to see where you can evolve this project.
Ok so here are some things to consider when designing a soccer shoe. Think about where on the foot the player will be striking the ball (basically everywhere except for the heel) these areas need to not be built up with bulky overlays unless they are specifically designed to enhance touch on the ball. Some shoes in the past have played with this strike area, the predator for example.
As far as the brand I would consider making the beckham brand an extension of adidas like jordan is to nike.
oh and last (hahahaha nevermind bad shoe joke) i would revisit the toe. it seems to look like a crosstrainer toe. The toe on a soccer shoe gets pretty thin so that it reaches under the ball easier.
good luck man i am so glad to see someone doing a non basketball shoe for kicksguide. I have often though of submitting a non basketball shoe so props to you. oh and you should post this on the footwear page. one of the lead designers at Hummel (a pretty major soccer brand) frequents that page so he could probably give better advice on this particular project than anyone.
crew kid: yes, i know the toe looks bulky. but its realistic, i took a picture of my foot and traced over it so this time i could get the proportions absolutely right.
it also fits in with my “planted” look, solid…
i also had the jordan parallel in mind… but did not think of it as an adidas product. adidas does not reflect the exclusivity Beckham deserves, this is where Brand Beckham comes in.
mm: just like nike’s big idea was AIR, brand beckhams key technology is lighter than air cushioning, i’m not sure whether it is safe though (inflammable) do sports shoes have to be certified for safety?
i hope the images are coming through now, a lot of the things i feel represent the brand really well cant be sketched : coir and wool layer ?
or maybe they can? hmmm…
the hexagon seems to be the best form for cushioning, several hexagons placed parallel will distribute impact effectively. i am trying to work out the best cell size - height ratio.
if the cells are extruded too much in comparison with the area of the hexagon, it will improve cushioning, but inclrease bulk.
if it is less, then the bulk will be reduced, but so will cushioning and also there might be a case of “bottoming out” like in ZOOM when fat guys wear them.
about how i got the shape:
step 1: photograph my foot
step 2: on the comp trace the outline and print (my dad’s lazer printer cartridges cost as much as most inkjet printers!)
step 3: trace over that, and add the cuts near the ankle, looking at my previous doodles (a vast number of them in my math text book)
step 4: add a layer all around the “foot” for wool cushioning
step5: another layer under the foot for the coir, then one for the He cushioning
step 6: the spikey bits i dunno what they are called (cleats?)
step 7: scan
i’m not happy with the quality of the sketch, so i’’ probably do the lines in fireworks before rendering.
the medial cant be slippery in football shoes right? isnt that what you kick the ball with? can some one who plays the game well or atleast knows everything there is to know bout pro soccer tell me?
i am doing a two material outer, split along the midle of the shoe.
what ive decided on so far- lateral a soft mesh like texture to the shiny silver plasticky surface.
medial a matte blue metal surface look…
will add holes for breathability on the medial, it might help remove the slab like look. then i can use the hole placement to show the dynamic flow also…
the medial cant be slippery in football shoes right?
The ideal stirknig surface is tacky. Whether it be leather (prefered) or a synthetic. The main stirknig surface is the instep and the front of the shoe. Just check out soccer.com and youll see what I mean.
Abotu the flammanable question. Im pretty sure htey dont have to be
i played semi pro for a couple of years but school sorta held me back from getting into pro side of things.
what you need to konw about a football (soccer) shoe - from my view (others might have different opinions) i list here:
1- there’re several types of good football players but main categories are:
a- technical / versatile
b- creative /play makers
c- fast / furious
d- solid / reliable
e- original / stylistic
so for each category you get different demands but to sum it up they all have to play on the grass. the most critical part on the football shoe is the area covering from the toe to right ankle and mirror that on the left foot and beneath the shoe from the little finger to left ankle mirror that also. the player must feel comfortable using those areas first before he can concentrate on the inside portion.
2-another important thing is that the player shouldn’t feel what’s underneath as he presses against the ground. this is a structural problem which has to be solved. you need the fingers steep while the curve from toe to shin balancing the shoe and the sides lifted upwards slightly on the inside and a bit higher on the outside. the finger area should be tight but not extremely tight. (by inside i don’t mean the actual inside of the shoe but rather the left wall),
3-football players tend to stretch the shoe towards outside more than inside. so elasticity must be considered while strength required. inside, the shoe must be breathing with very little elasticity.
the back side should be round and stiff enough on the bottom part so that when you tackle you wont hurt your shin and tight enough so you won’t get mud inside your shoes.
4-pro football players tape their ankles or sometimes their toe and other fingers for stiffness and protection against injury.
5-blisters are common in first practice coming from new shoes and socks. i got them usually under my foot just before the toe area and on top of my fingers. those came from the socks rubbing against my feet during practice. so the material in those areas should have a silky feel to allow movement. plus breathing.
few things that have been nagging me about this really interesting project:
in regards to the “hexagon helium”:
1.) Puma already used a hexagonal shaped cushioning system much like yours. (in fact I’m sorry to say its the exact thing you are using…stylistically of course) its a PU or PE hexagonal extrusion bonded between sheet PVC–Since the EU and others objected to using PVC they have dropped it or modified it.
2.) Converse had a cushioning system that used Helium in it. it didn’t lighten or effect cushioning in the slightest, in fact it was heavier than conventional air bags due to the fact that they had to use molded tpu chambers in order to keep the helium from leaking out. these chambers werre so rigid that it negated the rebound they were seeking with the helium…and helium is stupidly expensive
back to Becks–you have a great start you just need to organize it a little better and decide on your focus and raise the level of finsh to communicate you ideas more. For example:
You are designing a functional boot brand for Beckham then you want these boots to be representative of him and his style of play and to express that in the styling, the materials and the functionality. He is fast explosive precise, and very purposeful in his playing style–he is not a Midfield General a la Francesco Totti, or Pavel Medved or an Enforcer a la Roy Keane or Micheal Essien, or as creative and artistic as Ronaldinho or Zidane. He’s Becks and he is a leader–no matter how poorly Los Galacticos are playing…You need the sole of the shoe to enable someone to “run the lines” like Backham, the upper to give the stability to plant the foot to direct a pass precisely like Beckham and the materials finish to enable someone to “bend it like Beckham.”
All while making it look that is inspired by the fashion appeal of Becks off of the pitch. The styling should be respresenative of his lifestyle, of who Becks is, and who you want to inspire to become like him. Sarong wearing, trendy, hi-fashion Spain-on-permanent-summer holiday lifestyle…
remember designing a brand is all about inspiration and desire its not necessarily about the product; although product has a lot to do with it.
Check out Yo’s posting on footwear porportions in the Footwear/Softgoods forum area. it will help you to get them right in order to more accurately describe what you are trying to acheive. I can see it in you drawing of the logo (BTW I DO like the open and odd kerning of “Brand” in the logotype) but the low level of finish is killing it.
