• Home
  • Contributors
  • About Core77
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Get Our RSS Feed
Coroflot Design Job o' the day Converse is seeking an Innovation 
 Design Manager
in Massachusetts

Core77

c77 coroflot
  • articles
  • photo galleries
  • calendar
  • books + links
  • design schools
  • discussions
  • store
Our Other Sites
  • design firms
  • design jobs
Advertisement

FEATURED EVENTSSee All Events

Opportunity Green Business Conference Nov. 7-8, 2009

Timeless by Boym Partners Nov. 4-Nov. 14, 2009

Copenhagen Bike Share Competition Deadline:
Nov. 17, 2009

iF Concept Award Deadline: January 5, 2010

Get Our Newsletter
Submit

Sign-up four your monthly fix of design news, reviews and stuff to make you smarter.

Follow Core77
Twitter Facebook RSS
Photo Galleries
IDW 2009DUTCH DESIGN WEEK 2009 Core77's coverage of the largest design event in the Netherlands340 images IDW 2009PRAGUE DESIGN DAYS 2009 Join our tour of Designerblok, the annual Czech design festival! 150 images IDW 2009LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL 2009 Check out Core77's massive galleries from this giant European design event!398 images IDW 2009GIZMODO GALLERY 2009 Home-made tesla coils, pancake making machines, vintage electronics and more64 images IDW 2009EUROBIKE 2009 Our massive galleries from the world's largest bike show160 images Bauhaus Summer School 2009MAKER FAIRE AFRICA The inaugural event celebrating African ingenuity118 images IDW 2009NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL GIFT FAIR The best from the world of giftware64 images IDW 2009ISTANBUL DESIGN WEEKEND 2009 The latest in Mediterranean design92 images Bauhaus Summer School 2009BAUHAUS SUMMER SCHOOL 2009 Get familiar with Bauhaus Dessau!84 images
 Daily Design Snacks
 Bruce Sterling on Italian futurism and futurism in Italy
Core77 Show+Tell: Converse Design Director, Michael DiTullo, Sketches a Sneaker in 4-Minutes
Posted by core jr |  1 Jul 2008  |  Comments (30)

In this video for Core77, Michael DiTullo, design director at Converse (you know him as Yo), has 2 blue markers and a microphone. Here, he throws down a casual, summer sneaker concept sketch in 4:39. This is real-time folks. None of that stop-motion photoshop stuff, and no aftereffects. (Makes you wonder how many sketches he can do in an 8 hour day?)

For those aspiring design renderers, notice 3 key ingredients:

1) He moves the page! Mike is constantly turning the page so that his fingers and wrist can draw the lines comfortably. Think of this as "drawing with 2 hands."

2) He keeps a supply of sharp pencils! This is critical: you can't get that line quality unless you start off with a nice point and work down from there.

3) He uses the tip as well as the side of the pencil. Duh, but you'd be surprised how many designers forget to change the grip of their pencil while sketching.

(Bonus factoid: That ironic straight edge he uses once at the start of the rendering? He's had it for 15 years.)

Enjoyed this video? Got inspired? Let him know in the comments!

Posted in Broadcasts • Permalink Digg This! | Save to del.icio.us | Submit to Reddit | Stumble It!
Don't forget

Hot this month!

Dutch Design Week The largest design event in the Netherlands Prague Design Days Join our tour of Designerblok! 1 Hour Design Challenge Winners! The Future of Digital Reading Coroflot Salary Survey Results Find out what you're worth

Comments



Ken JJuly 1, 2008 10:56 AM

That's where it's at! I got blue markers and a microphone!

FaShon CarterJuly 1, 2008 11:18 AM

That was too great, Yo never fails to amaze me.

NURBJuly 1, 2008 11:31 AM

Very cool. Nice to see another right hander out there, too. Inspiring as always.

simonJuly 1, 2008 11:58 AM

Thanks for the video. I am really concentrating on picking up my line technique at the moment and found it to be both informative and inspiring!!! Thanks :P

fatkidJuly 1, 2008 12:29 PM

Mad Skills DiTullo!!! Let's see some more!

designaddictJuly 1, 2008 12:36 PM

Michael DiTullo has Mad skills.

craig MarcantonioJuly 1, 2008 12:50 PM

Love the video I'm an aspiring sneaker designer and the sheer quickness and simplicity of the sketch is fantastic
thanks

mikeJuly 1, 2008 01:00 PM

i have the straightedge and also use it for sketching! rocko's modern life toy from burger king or something similar, many years ago.

MarioJuly 1, 2008 01:20 PM

Great video! I always love to see other artists working.
I should just point out that I don't think the speed is the most important thing in this video. He works with sneakers, so he knows all the curves and stuff (he probably sketched thousands and thousands of sneakers...). So he doesn't have to spend too much time trying new curves and lines.
What I think is the most amazing thing is how he works. He KNOWS how to translate his ideas into a drawing. In 4 minutes... That's brilliant!

Mario

eeeJuly 1, 2008 01:41 PM

what's the song in this video?

mikeJuly 1, 2008 02:37 PM

i love sketching and i love watching people sketch.

looking through someone's sketchbook can be a very inspiring thing.

JamesJuly 1, 2008 03:59 PM

Wow, very impressive. Thanks for sharing that Yo.

Ry-dogJuly 1, 2008 08:36 PM

looks like he had 4 minutes and 39 seconds... good stuff, keep it coming!

FreshJuly 1, 2008 09:24 PM

Definitely inspiring. Much appreciated.

Mark SprulesJuly 2, 2008 04:50 AM

Awesome, like all professionals makes it look so simple!

I for one feel truly inspired and am off to A, sharpen my pencils B, find my old blue markers and C, find that damn music!

Its all about the music!!

mirrowJuly 2, 2008 05:49 AM

wow!

....gone sketching

AarghJuly 2, 2008 07:06 AM

Not trying to sound too bad about this, but both the rendering and the whole sketch is pretty average. The sketching technique may be something worthy of note but aside from that there isn't anything to set this apart from countless other people. Hell, I don't even draw shoes for a living but I reckon with a bit of practice I could put something out to equal or better this with less than a week of practice.

Joseph GabryJuly 2, 2008 09:17 AM

Nice YO, Thanks.
I always find music to be helpful while sketching... Do you generally listen to anything else, or is it always Peter, Bjorn and John?

BrandonJuly 2, 2008 09:45 AM

@eee: The song is "Young Folks" by Peter Bjorn and John

ChrisMJuly 2, 2008 03:59 PM

I also noticed he follows through on his strokes. Like in karate, his line extends beyond the target. I'm no artist so maybe that's obvious. HIYA!

RiNaZJuly 2, 2008 10:48 PM

how about sketching a car in 4 mins huh?! I bet everybody wants to see that hehe ... j/k.

wonderdruffJuly 3, 2008 12:41 PM

Why is everyone so excited by speed? How is that design any different from the shoes already out on the market? How do you know he`s not just copying a shoe thats sitting just out of the screen shot..So just keep enjoying mindless speed sketching and live under the illusion that you understand design. Good design is`nt easy. Sure choose quantity over quality make a quick dollar, don`t think of the significance and consequences of your actions, keep exploiting, keep polluting, keep wasting resources..See where it takes you, it should be obvious by now and by the way don`t forget to spend that dollar you earnt speed designing, because one of the consequences is that it won`t be worth very much soon.

Hank GreenblattJuly 5, 2008 11:00 PM

I have no more connection to athletic shoes than owning a pair of Converse All Stars and a pair of Onitsuka Tigers but found it inspiring to watch someone do something so well. I get the same charge out of watching someone skillful in a kitchen choreograph a meal or MJ shoot a basketball. The inspiration carries over to what I do--medicine--even though unconnected. Inspiration's a funny thing that way, and priceless. thank you, Michael

JayJuly 6, 2008 02:10 AM

I think the point wasn't just that it was fast, but also WHY it was so fast. The guy clearly has a phenomenal understanding of shoes.

erikaJuly 14, 2008 06:47 PM

Thank you for sharing! I love watching other people sketch. I've never seen someone move the page around like that. Makes perfect sense.

tinaAugust 4, 2008 02:44 PM

i am currently working in a design studio and top drawing skills is only one requirement. you have to come up with good ideas everyday. and that is not so easy whilst drawing. sometimes people try to compensate for their lack of design thinking abilities with being able to draw really well.

mike August 4, 2008 04:13 PM

It was nice to see how you attack getting down the basic form. Do you use the same steps when drawing different views? I really enjoy your work and tutorials Thanks

StevenAugust 8, 2008 03:10 PM

I want that Rocko's Modern Life ruler!!!!!

inp88September 22, 2008 12:23 PM

super inspirational, cool!

Tobin DornApril 30, 2009 09:27 PM

I think the video is super! Michael is super talented and really knows about footwear design and rendering. It is obvious in the way he draws. Anyone who has drawn a shoe knows that nuances and design challenges to set your design apart from the rest. Also the proportions and details is what makes your design and story different. He really knows the proportions and can detail endless options. Great job and great idea to share. Love the way he spins the paper as he is creating!!
Also, I think it is important to remember too, whoever is working in the market today knows that it is not ideal to assume that you have endless hours to render and research trends and design. You have to be quick to notice details and go by instinct and raw talent. He makes it look easy but that is the just the result of many years of work and practice.

Name:
Email:
URL:
Comment:

Most Recent Design Jobs at Coroflot.com - Where Design Never Sleeps

Account Director: Branding & Packaging
DGI (Design Group Italia) : Milan, Italy
CAD Specialist - Industrial Design
Research in Motion (RIM) : Mississauaga (Toronto), ON
Web Designer
TrialPay : Mountain View, CA
Footwear Designer
Footwear Design Department : Metropolitan New York, NJ
Associate Graphic Designer, Kid Girl- Gymboree Brand
Gymboree Corporation : San Francisco, CA
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer Interdisciplinary Digital Design Technologies
Victoria University of Wellington : Wellington, New Zealand

+ View all Design Jobs
+ Post a Job

Most Recent Design Firm Updates at Designdirectory.com - Where Design Firms Get Seen

LOGIC
Product Development Technologies
pbeach event design + 3d digital rendering!
Designit
Elegance Soft
SUSTENTA DESIGN
Aalto Design Factory
DC Interactive
Mapache Creatives
Adver Face

Recently Featured Portfolios
at Coroflot.com

Oliver Aschenbrennerrobert millingtonben  longoHarriet Cox
+ See More Design Portfolios
+ Make your own Portfolio

©2009 Core77, Inc. All rights reserved
about | contact us | advertise | mailing list