The miniature sneakers by @oneshortie

Scrolling Instagram, it's easy to come across creative profiles that show custom sneaker designs or 3D renderings. Instead, it is less common to find shoe sculptors, even more, if in miniature, like those made by Claudio Sciortino aka @oneshortie.

We were surprised by the ability of this artist to scale some of the most famous sneakers in the world, such as the Nike MAG Back to the Future or the Jordan 1 Chicago x Off-White, without giving up all the most microscopic details. The models made by Claudio provide a remarkable technical skill and knowledge of materials and for this reason, curious to find out more about the materials used and the inspirations behind his miniatures, we asked some questions directly to those who made them.

#1 Who is Claudio Sciortino?

My name is Claudio and I am 23 years old, I am from Puglia but I live in Milan for a few years, a city where I could study and be interested in the world of design, continuing to encourage my passion for creating models. By combining these two great interests, in the last few months, I have begun a personal project that sees sneakers as the main subjects of my creations.

#2 Where does the passion for sculpture come from?

From an early age, I was crazy about miniatures. I made entire cities using cardboard and adhesive tape. I always liked to draw but I was much happier when I could give my imagination a three-dimensional shape.

#3 Why did you choose to realize sneakers?

Before moving to Milan, I never imagined there was such a big world behind sneakers. The first shoe I made was a Nike Air Jordan VI that I gave to a great friend of mine, the one who made me passionate about Hip Hop culture. The sneakers fascinate me because they are incredible design objects, a combination of style and fantasy, reproducing them is a way to pay tribute to that cultural and media phenomenon that has exploded in recent years.

#4 What materials do you use and how long do you spend on a single piece?

For sneakers, I mainly use EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate ed), a soft and elastic material. For the base I help myself with cardboard, while for the details I use the most varied materials, choosing among those that help me the most to make the desired effect. I don't pay much attention to the time but I would say about twenty hours on average, everything depends on the difficulty in defining the different clippings. When I work go into my world, settle on my desk and listen to a lot of music.

#5 How important is the attention to details for your work?

The details are absolutely the part that I enjoy the most. In general, I try to make my designs as realistic as possible, so I choose the materials that are best suited. For details, I can even handle millimeter pieces.

#6 What are your favorite sneaker models?

I'm a big fan of Tinker Hatfield and his projects. I am very intrigued by the way in which he combines colors and elements, even totally disconnected from the sports world, to create unique pieces of his kind. In fact, in June, for my first exhibition, I will exhibit the miniatures of the 10 Air Jordan models designed by him.

#7 How long have you been doing sculptures and how many pieces have you done so far?

Once in high school, I joined in a project for which I made miniatures of some architectural monuments. I have always loved traveling and many of those works of art I had seen live, so I felt the desire to recreate them with my own hands. I then started to reduce the scale, to take care of the details with ever greater precision. Up to now, I have made about fifty sculptures, reproducing subjects that are always different, my favorite is the copy of a Ferrari F14.

#8 Which model are you working on and which one of those you will absolutely want to accomplish sooner or later?

Now, in addition to Air Jordan, I'm trying to sketch the statuettes of some characters linked to the music world. I would like to start with Kanye West and support him with the Air Yeezy 2 Pure Platinum, a shoe that, besides wanting to make, I would very much like to wear!

#9 Where can we keep follow your work?

I recently updated my Instagram profile (@oneshortie) with my latest creations, and I think this is a starting point for my new adventure. I will also continue to post the videos of the realization processes together with much other news. Stay tuned!