Starry Starry Night

The painting supplies for this project are very easy to buy. Photo by Steve Cukrov from ShutterStock.com.

Here is an excellent idea for your child’s bedroom that is pretty easy to do and can be easily done in a day. Why not install the night sky on your kids’ ceiling? Or better yet, on yours.

The materials that you need are pretty easy to acquire. You just need some paint (midnight blue or black) and some luminous paint or glow in the dark paint. An airbrush would be very helpful for this project as well, but a paint brush would be just as fine. You also need some painter’s tape and a star-patterned stencil. You can also use comets, planets, and a moon pattern for a more realistic effect. You can download various stencil patterns online, so don’t worry.

You can choose to install this easy mural on the ceiling or one of the walls of your kid’s room. Although, it is obviously better to do it on the ceiling.

Before starting any paint job, remember to cover all the furniture that you cannot move out of the room, use painter’s tape to protect borders, and clean the surface using a damp rag. Cleaning up the ceiling could be quite a chore, but you can always use a clean paint roller with an extended handle that was dipped in some water so you can scrub off some of the dust and other particles stuck on the ceiling. Again, remember to let the ceiling dry completely before applying a coat of primer.

Using the same paint roller, apply the midnight blue or black paint as the base coat. For a cleaner look, use a wide paint brush to paint along the corners of the ceiling. To paint the rest of the area, use your paint roller. Depending on the colour intensity that you prefer, you can put up to two layers of the base colour that you choose.

The next step will require you to use a step ladder or some scaffolding so you can get closer to the ceiling. Using the stencil with your chosen patterns (star, comet, planet, etc), apply the luminous paint over the stencil. You may use a paint brush or airbrush for this task. It is best to place more stencils near the lighting fixture, since the phosphorous in the paint needs to absorb more light in order to glow in the dark. It is up to you to determine the spacing of the stars and other painted objects. Once you are satisfied with your handiwork, let it dry completely. Once dried, you can then apply a coat or two of the sealant, in order to protect your overhead mural.

Come nighttime, all you have to do is lay down and marvel at your own creation: a universe over your bed.