'Pimping Up' or customising stuff for teens

shop-to-drop

My son started sixth form this September now he's settled in he realised he needed new backpack to be more organised and safely carry his stuff including laptop.

He really wants something to protect the laptop, with organisational pockets and strong. I've bought him one which is spot on, cheap as it's clearance but dull and not cool enough at all for an image conscious teen. It is plain black and charcoal in colour so my plan is to pimp it up. I wondered about getting a chalkboard fabric marker and doing so chalkboard pattern on a section.

Anyone any advice on products to use and get a good professional finish, or any other ideas?

Feel free to use this thread for advice on turning other plain objects into cool desirables for teens too.:)

CupOfChai

TBH I'd leave it well alone, and let him customise it however he wants to, if he wants to.

shop-to-drop

CupOfChai wrote: »

TBH I'd leave it well alone, and let him customise it however he wants to, if he wants to.

He's not creative himself. I will be discussing it with him first. Will be a project for myself and his brother who is more artisitc. I won't be doing anything until sanctioned as cool enough. They do like individual, creative looking stuff and avoid the sporty look or stuff with brand labels all over.

evie451

Shop to Drop assuming you have taken advice from the said teen on the type of customisation

I have had success drawing simple things like a minecraft creeper face, Zelda pyramid thingy or TMI runes on various stuff with fabric pens, although teens are notoriously 'fickle' about stuff and having spent time at the weekend trying to get the words 'bring me the horizon' off my daughters converse because the lead singer of the band is a d**k apparently :eek:sometimes the words indelible are also a curse........:rotfl:

apologies to all those for whom the above is gibberish..lucky sods!

shop-to-drop

Will have a chat with Artistic son as he is home first. They love Manga art so he could do something like that but logos or patterns would be easier. Unfortunately the order for the backpack has been cancelled by the seller so haven't anything specific to work around now.

evie451

oh thats a pity, I got a nice plain black backpack with a laptop section in it from Sports direct earlier on in the year........Manga art would be great but a lot more complex to do than my efforts! Aldi were selling transfer paper a few weeks ago that you could print (and presumably draw as well) and then iron it onto fabric.....you could probably get it elswhere too.....

scheming_gypsy

shop-to-drop wrote: »

I've bought him one which is spot on, cheap as it's clearance but dull and not cool enough at all for an image conscious teen. It is plain black and charcoal in colour

Sounds perfect for an image conscious teen.

shop-to-drop

evie451 wrote: »

oh thats a pity, I got a nice plain black backpack with a laptop section in it from Sports direct earlier on in the year........Manga art would be great but a lot more complex to do than my efforts! Aldi were selling transfer paper a few weeks ago that you could print (and presumably draw as well) and then iron it onto fabric.....you could probably get it elswhere too.....

Need brush up on craft techniques and products available. This could be fun and look fab if we are successful. Found lots of stuff on the internet on customising canvas shoes but not backpacks. Wondering if the fabric pens will work the same on backpack fabric?

shop-to-drop

I think I will order a set of fabric markers and we can have a pay about on some of the old backpacks knocking around the house.

Artytarty

Be careful! It might be more embarrassing to carry something that looks a bit...Blue peter.best left alone I think.

vgstar44

completely off topic here but if it could be of any use for the drawings ....The works have a pretty big "how to draw manga encyclopedia" for £3.99 looks pretty impressive!