Sports and art sounds like a really strange combination, but actually nowadays numerous leading manufacturers have awe-inspiring promotional campaigns, where their products appear as key elements and have been transformed into real masterpieces.
Just take a look at different photos, illustrations for magazine covers, posters, flyers, prints for t-shirts etc., can you even imagine that ordinary sneakers, your faithful companion in athletics, will have such a juicy, awe-inspiring and highly artistic appearance? Thanks to talented and imaginative designers/illustrators, nothing is impossible. They carry out extensive explorations on various techniques and methods, trying to find an ideal combination of textures, patterns, surfaces, 3D effects, coloring and even typography in order to intensify and enrich the image of the regular sneakers, giving them a whole new look.
So, let’s examine several brilliant photo manipulations full of charisma and originality where simple sneakers run the show.
Sports Wear and Art
1. PLAYERS & POSERS by Chris LaBrooy
Chris LaBrooy is highly talented artist that is famous for its incredible renderings and skillful work with textures, patterns, colors and surfaces. His brand-new personal project that features extraordinary, well-crafted sneakers looks absolutely outstanding and jaw-dropping.
2. Ecstatic x Nike 2013 by Aaron Campbell
This is an awesome series that sheds light on various Nike sneakers. The artist easily sets the mood and a proper general feeling for each shoe with the help of a mind-blowing photo manipulation that leverages a harmonious combination of light, shadow and color.
3. Sneakercube x Nike by Pawel Nolbert
This project is saturated with originality and uniqueness. The designer capably transforms each shoe into a cube. The secret of creating such a high-end photo manipulation lies in meticulous attention to detail; the perfect blend of textures and bright gradients provides the project with an exclusive touch of realism.
4. Nike – Glow in the dark T-shirts by Mateusz Sypien
The mix of retrospective and glowing effects makes you stop and admire. The music-inspired graphics that effectively convey dynamism and positive energy establishes a powerful atmosphere, giving the drawing a powerful appeal.
5. GEOMETRIC TRAILS by Mike Campau
Mind-blowing geometric landscapes keep the artwork alive whereas an excellent image of the sneaker, which by the way harmoniously blends into composition, adds a sportive flair and radiates of positive emotions.
6. PAPERAIR ART SHOW
As the nameplate implies, the exhibition is dedicated to paper craft that has been involved in lots of projects. It leaves its own indelible imprint. The artists presents various sneakers that are made with the help of various paper techniques.
7. Juega o ríndete by Totoi Aquí estoy
This illustration laconically engages users with its amazing and complex appearance that is impregnated with a sporty vibe. Every element of the composition is related to the sport industry: the bootlace-esque lettering, t-shirts, ball and of course, sneakers.
8. Urban Sneaker by Manuel Mittelpunkt
This is a truly matchless work, which, in addition, is not a rendering. The artist shows off the process of creation that immediately draws you in. This ingenious combination of plastic art and regular sports wear simply blows your mind.
9. Nike Light by Gavin Campbell
How to transform an ordinary photo of a sneaker into an incredible piece of art? Gavin Campbell gives you a hint by showcasing several intermediate stages of the process. The light effect here is a primary tool that is responsible for the whole magic and incredible appearance.
10. Reebok X Marvel Limited Edition Footwear by Anthony Petrie
Superheroes never get old, and everyone knows it. So why not to give comic lovers an opportunity to get a bit closer to the Marvel universe by offering them flawless convenient shoes with individuality and character inherent to a superhero.
11. Timeless Sneakers icon set by Annasumi
Let’s plunge into the rich history of sneakers together. The artist showcases various popular sport shoes, including Puma, Nike, Adidas, Converse and others with the help of a neat contour style that easily highlights the main distinctive features of each item.
12. Black Light Sneaker Shoot by Christina Gomba
As the artist correctly noticed, the project can be entitled “glow in the dark”. It includes a series of jaw-dropping photos where sports wear occupies a central part, and the neon effect clearly underlines it.
13. Sneakers Mag Lego by Manuel Mittelpunkt&Ursel Barwinski
With more than 50 years’ history, Lego has participated in various projects as well as left an indelible imprint on various spheres; and the sports industry has not became an exception. These artists have created a flawless series of lego-inspired posters for sneakers magazine.
14. Typography – KICKS by Reuben Rynjah
How about an original variation of typography, where each letter is composed from a sneaker illustration? Thanks to a clean vector style, the font turned out to be readable, and at the same time, unconventional and creative.
15. Yeezy 2 Triangulation by Josh Millgate
Mixing vibrant coloring with simple geometric shapes such as triangles and rectangles can produce really spectacular results; and the design project of Josh Millgate proves it. The low poly, vibrant illustrations easily draw attention with the distinct feeling of a third dimension.
16. NIKE FLYKNIT AIRMAX by Already Been Chewed&Barton Damer
This project simply forces you to stop and to enjoy the whole beauty that is hidden in a brand-new Flyknit Airmax. This is a topnotch photo manipulation that balances lots of graphics and stays highly harmonious.
17. Adidas-Hardcourt by Lauriane Bensabbah-Marcellot
The artist is a real master at deriving the benefits of combining together digital modelisation, texturing and rendering. His artwork that calls attention to Adidas Hardcourt Shoe is effectively brightened by the energy that comes from a subtle blend of lighting effects.
18. Sneakers No2 by Bryan Gallardo BS13
Strip away all the realistic textures, well-crafted patterns and 3D effects in order to get a clean, neat and vector-style appearance for your sneaker presentation. The geometry vibe spiced up with vivid coloring gives the artwork an attention-grabbing appearance.
19. Nike It’s all about Harmony by Caio de Paula Marques
This sophisticated artwork is aimed at strongly supporting the slogan through providing viewers with a complex but well-balanced composition. The environment composed from various sports items perfectly pairs with the sneaker illustration placed in the center, despite it being too shiny and glossy.
20. Sneaker purism by Manuel Mittelpunkt
This poster clearly reflects the mood; the uncluttered bright background with a slight geometry vibe helps to avoid a visual mess and effectively highlights the sneakers.
Conclusion
Everything has its own charm and beauty that sometimes is invisible to a regular onlooker. Even ordinary sports wear such as sneakers can produce a memorable impression thanks to effective collaboration with various art directions.
So, what do you think about such strange, a bit bold combinations of mundane sportswear and the artistic approach?