Continuing from last year's read, 365 Days, 365 Sketches, this is the second year of rapid sketching a shoe every day.
While these sketches take, on average, five minutes to complete, the process is a great way to keep a creative journal and develop quick drawing skills- using a pen to not overthink.
Join me in exploring 30 of my favourite sketches from the 365 days and my retrospective reviews of each shoe. Take a look and judge for yourself; do you agree with the ranking?
#30: Converse Basketball Sneaker 'NXT Wave 1'
With the classic Converse Star stitched on the lateral side, mid-height collar, and a basic sole design, we're starting off with an early-2000s style basketball sneaker.
#29: Adidas Basketball Sneaker 'Nado M1'
This basketball sneaker is more on the modern side; with a more dynamic range of shapes throughout the upper and sole design.
#28: Asics Lifestyle Sneaker 'GEL-VELOCITY 360 I'
Asics shoes are some of the hardest to sketch- simply because of the complex logo, however, combined with a dynamic sole design and an elaborate upper, the Asics DNA for lifestyle sneakers is very memorable.
#27: New Balance Lifestyle Sneaker '5050v1'
New Balance has popularised the weathered look with examples such as the New Balance FuelCell RC Elite v2 SI, and the New Balance 2002R Protection Pack Distressed. This sketch, and especially the upper design, fits into this theme.
#26: Adidas Runner 'OnTheCloud II'
In the first edition of this sketch series, I had placed the 'OnTheCloud I' sketch in third place for its lightweight and cushioned aesthetic, however, this year, there are so many sketches ahead of the second version of the 'OnTheCloud' idea.
#25: New Balance Chunky Lifestyle Sneaker 'XTeRunner v2'
Is the sole chunky enough?
#24: Nike Retro-Style Runner 'Stroopwafel 2'
Coincidentally with a very similar aesthetic to the 'Stroopwafel' sketch from the last edition, the name lives on in this continuation of the Nike shoe concept. Which one is tastier?
#23: Adidas Runner 'SpeedwaY II'
This is the third sketch of this list from the brand with the three stripes and there's many more to come. In the top 10% of my 365 sketches from the year, it's one of the more experimental Adidas sketches from my collection and one I love to look back on.
#22: Merrell Hiking Boot 'Berg Height 1'
As the only hiking boot on this list, it's not a style I tend to sketch, however, I enjoy the odd high-top sneaker and what better brand to pick for hiking than Merrell?
#21: Adidas Lifestyle Sneaker 'HT1 PrimeKnit'
With this sketch, I wanted to create a very breathable and comfortable lifestyle sneaker so I sketched a PrimeKnit-like, gradient-style mesh upper and tongue, a cushioned collar, and a bouncy-looking midsole. I see this as an 'everyday' sneaker.
#20: New Balance Lifestyle Sneaker 'CTZ GT1'
A little like the 1906R, this sketch includes more aggressive-looking lines and shapes than what we're used to seeing from the New Balance brand, however, all components, from the 'N' logo to the sporty sole unit, harmonize well with the brand's DNA.
#19: New Balance Lifestyle Sneaker 'Made in USA Y90'
I imagine this sneaker to have a similar backstory to the 990 series which started as a collection of running shoes and later turned into a line of strictly lifestyle shoes. This one has a sporty aesthetic but without the dynamic lines you'd typically see on modern runners.
#18: New Balance Lifestyle Sneaker 'The Titan v2'
As a real shoe, this one would not sell as much as the previous design. It's a better sketch but, like the 610 range, its complexity makes it quite polarising.
#17: Travis Scott x Nike Runner 'V Truth 2'
If this was a real sneaker, I'd be wearing it almost every day. As a big fan of the reverse swoosh which became popular through collaborations with Travis Scott, I would love to see Nike release more like this.
#16: Adidas SportStyle Sneaker 'Racer TR85'
Like the sketch in place #19, this one also looks like a redeveloped old running shoe that, in the modern era, transformed into a casual lifestyle sneaker as it retains certain sporty details like the breathable mesh vamp but limits the number of upper components for a minimalist design approach.
#15: New Balance Lifestyle Sneaker 'CTZ GT2'
This one looks like it would be part of the same collection as sketch #20, however, this one is much less aggressive and has similar upper componentry details to the New Balance 530. This CTZ GT2 would feature an ABZORB midsole for superior everyday comfort.
#14: Munich Lifestyle Sneaker 'Montañoso 2.0'
While last year, three Munich sketches made it into the top 30 list, this is the only one in this edition and it's one of my favourites. The quarter component, on which the 'X' logo is placed, would be a lightweight and flexible TPU material. In colour, I would opt for a summery palette of blues and oranges.
#13: Adidas Runner 'VZNGLIDE 1'
The way the pen rolls on this white paper is much smoother than on the brown paper which means it's much easier to achieve these fast lines and contrasting colourways.
#12: Nike Runner ''XtraWeave 2'
I always start my sketches with the sole unit and as soon as I finished this chunky sole, I knew the upper would be a knitted low-cut design perfect for a Nike runner similar to the banned Vaporfly model.
#11: New Balance Lifestyle Sneaker 'Made in USA Y91'
Very similar to the sketch in spot #19, this one's named as part of the same conceptual 'Y90' collection. They both feature the big 'N' logo and dark uppers but, again, the main focus of this sketch was to portray a breathable vamp and suede toe cap and counter.
#10: Adidas Runner 'CLDGLIDE 1'
The smooth lines, exaggerated thicknesses of the sole unit, and collar cushioning make this one look very comfortable and cloud-like.
#9: PUMA Runner 'Journey TOUR'
Like the Puma ForeverRun NITRO Knit, I imagine this model as a long-distance running shoe. This one, however, has more retro-style componentry such as the defined toe cap and heel counter.
#8: New Balance Runner '9970 Xtra Lite'
The upper of this sketch looks somewhat similar to New Balance's Fresh Foam Arishi v4 design, however, the sole design is more experimental and even a little like the retro 473 model.
#7: New Balance Runner '1055'
Simple but effective. I can see this design being available in block colourways such as fully black, white, grey, brown, or even purple.
#6: New Balance Lifestyle Sneaker '2270v2'
The 2270 name lives on from last year's edition, also ranked in place #6. This second version looks like it could be a retired New Balance cross-training model from the '90s that suddenly resurfaced in recent times thanks to 2024 trends like "Function over Fashion".
#5: Adidas Ultraboost 'Mechanicus II' Hybrid Running Sneaker
Last year, the first 'Mechanicus' sketch was in place #20, but this much more realistic design has an even more cushioned Ultraboost sole unit, a synthetic heel counter for extra stability and protection, and reflective brand stripes for all-day running.
#4: Adidas Ultraboost 'Sprint Form II' Running Shoe
From the gradient-style brand stripes to the soft-looking Ultraboost sole unit, this sketch screams Adidas. If this were a real sneaker, it would be rated as the 'Most Comfortable' by Runner's World.
#3: New Balance '1090 v6' Runner
With possibly the most modern aesthetic of the list, this New Balance Runner features sharp, dynamic and fast lines throughout the sole and upper.
#2: Adidas Ultraboost 'Mechanicus III' Hybrid Running Sneaker
Named the 'Mechanicus III', it shares a similar style to the II in place #5. With wavy lines on the Ultraboost sole unit, a mixture of sporty lines throughout the upper, and a low-cut collar, this one would be a gem of a runner.
#1: New Balance Trail Runner 'FuelCell Mountaineer v1'
As the one and only sketch from this list with a sock collar, it's set apart from the rest. The gradient-style mesh upper helps the 'N' logo to stand out and, all together, it just works as a trail running shoe but also fits into the brand DNA.
No matter what you're sketching, a daily activity like this keeps you practising, exploring and developing your personal style. Over a long period of time, you'll really see improvements in proportion and realism. You may find that you repeatedly sketch a similar silhouette, like how I tend to draw sportstyle sneakers. While there are no words to this sketchbook, it's just like a journal that highlights the brands you love or the styles you tend to wear.
Which sketch is your favourite?
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