words by Nick DePaula

When browsing around online, there’s quite a few websites you could stumble upon to kill some time. Some you make sure to tell all your friends about, and others you might have a secret bookmarking method for. (I hope you weren’t expecting a hyperlink for the latter.) Out of all the messageboards and blogs abound, few offer up the real-life guidance and field-specific expertise that KicksGuide.com does. Aspiring footwear designers the world over log on daily to post up their latest renderings and get expert advice, and over the past couple of years we’ve seen over a handful of KG members go on to truly reach their goals as designers within the industry at several major brands.

Former Focus:Artist featured designers in our past issues like Ryan Holler, Ian Gale, Justin Taylor and Brett Golliff remain active members, and the friendly vibe and resourceful help from all of the members make KG a true community. Members are open to sharing their industry experiences as everyone strives towards similar goals, and the more technical guidance to improving your craft can go a long way if you’re just beginning your portfolio. If you’re unfamiliar with navigating the site, check out the Artist Series or of course BG’s 2007 Design of the Year, a ridiculously detailed interpretation of Nike’s Foamposite technology.

Anyone into sneakers I’d assume appreciates the design and backstory of their footwear just as the much as the rarity or namesake, and there’s a wealth of talent over at KicksGuide to browse through if you have some free time online.

There’s an abundance of skill waiting to get noticed, but I figured I’d share a couple of my favorite renderings.

Air Jordan 1 Evolution — by Jason Petrie

Huarache 2K5 — by Thomas Le

Converse Wade — by Ian Gale

Zoom Cinderella — by Pietro Pellicelli

Zoom Quickening — by Justin Taylor

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