Method of providing decorative designs and structural features on an article of footwear

An article of footwear, comprising:

• an upper;
• and
• a sole comprising a midsole, the midsole comprising a first midsole component, the first midsole component comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, and an interior portion extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and bounded by a sidewall, the sidewall comprising at least one first region and at least one second region, wherein:
• (i) the first region comprises a first pattern comprising one or more distributed concave structural elements defined in a surface of the sidewall and comprising at least one of discrete polyhedronal elements or discrete spheroidal elements, wherein (a) none of the discrete polyhedronal elements or discrete spheroidal elements contacts another discrete polyhedronal element or discrete spheroidal element and (b) each of the discrete polyhedronal elements or discrete spheroidal elements is directly surrounded on all sides thereof by the sidewall surface, the first pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic or a structural feature in the first region;
• and
• (ii) the second region comprises a second pattern, the second pattern comprising one or more distributed convex structural elements comprising at least one of discrete polyhedronal elements or discrete spheroidal elements, the second pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic or a structural feature in the second region.

A sole for an article of footwear, comprising:

• a midsole comprising a first midsole component comprising a single, unitary foamed material, the first midsole component further comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, and an interior portion extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and bounded by a sidewall, the sidewall comprising at least one first region and at least one second region, wherein:
• (i) the first region comprises a first pattern, the first pattern comprising a grid of laser engraved concave grooves defined in a surface of the sidewall forming discrete polyhedronal elements, wherein (a) none of the discrete polyhedronal elements contacts another discrete polyhedronal element and (b) each of the discrete polyhedronal elements is directly surrounded on all sides thereof by the sidewall surface, the first pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic or a structural feature in the first region;
• (ii) the first pattern further comprising a first location, a second location, and a transition region extending between the first location and the second location;
• (iii) the second region comprises a second pattern, the second pattern comprising one or more distributed convex structural elements comprising at least one of discrete polyhedronal elements or discrete spheroidal elements, the second pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic or a structural feature in the second region;
• and
• (iv) the first pattern is substantially absent from the second region.

A sole for an article of footwear, comprising:

• a midsole comprising a first midsole component, the first midsole component comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, and an interior portion extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and bounded by a sidewall, the sidewall comprising at least one first region and at least one second region, wherein;
• (i) the first region comprises a first pattern comprising one or more distributed concave structural elements defined in a surface of the sidewall and comprising at least one of discrete polyhedronal elements, discrete spheroidal elements, or conjoined polyhedronal elements, the first pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic or a structural feature in the first region;
• and
• (ii) the second region comprises a second pattern comprising one or more distributed convex structural elements defined in the surface of the sidewall and comprising at least one of discrete polyhedronal elements, discrete spheroidal elements, or conjoined polyhedronal elements, the second pattern providing at least one of an aesthetic or a structural feature in the second region,
• wherein the sidewall further comprises at least one of a size, a cross-sectional shape, an orientation, a depth, or a density at least one of the concave structural elements and
• the convex structural elements differs between a first location and a second location of the first pattern.