WORK ALIKE PROTOTYPE
Moving forward with my minimal running shoe upper concept, I decided to flesh out ideas on a 3d form so I could get considerations for the foot anatomy in my concept.
I started with taping a simple running shoe.
After adding a second layer I used a prisma color pencil to draw on design lines. It took a few tries to flesh out my concept visually to where I was happy with it.
The first way that I drew the lines were using a lot of thin straps. After drawing it on the form it felt busier than I wanted it to look and started to think about how I could refine it.
Moving forward I decided to go with these larger rounded hollow structures wrapping around the foot that leave the mid-foot open. This was to have room for some more rigid stability strings the help make sure the shoe is staying on the foot.
When drawing the design on the form it was helpful to see it n 3d for me to take some considerations for placement. The center piece that connect the two mid-foot straps was to be placed over the upper navicular bone, which in 2D would be very hard to get correct. Secondly, the heel structures are to hug the sides of the heel bone to stay on, rather than pinching the achilles. This is why the heel counters are open and do not touch in the back.
After cutting out my design linesI traced the patterns to cut out of foam
When creating I used white foam to represent areas that would have more flexibility and stretch vs the black which I imagined to be molded to the shape of the foot it is in contact with.
Using a small hole punch I wanted to display the context of perforation through the toe box.
After getting the heel stability secured on I added the more rigid support strings through the mid foot and from the heel to mid foot strap with hot glue.
FINISHED PRODUCT
Moving forward I would need to figure out whether the placement of strapping and heed design will securely keep the foot in the shoe during running. The molded soft part on the navicular bone where the straps meet looks out of place and buckle like in this craft foam. However, for the real design I am imagining a much slimmer, perhaps natural fiber material that is molded with c curve to fit naturally and with a low profile.