Preparation

• 1). Move all easily portable furniture and belongings out of the room; move anything that must stay to the center of the room, away from walls.
  
  
• 2). Cover whatever remains in the room with drop cloths or plastic sheeting to protect it from paint splashes.
  
  
• 3). Wash the walls and ceiling with a solution of mild detergent in warm water. Use a sponge or soft cloth and work on one wall at a time, frequently rinsing so the soap does not dry on the wall.
  
  
• 4). Rinse everything again when you are done washing to get every vestige of soap off walls and the ceiling. Let everything dry.
  
  
• 5). Mask off anything you do not want to paint, such as doors, windows, lights and switch plates, using plastic sheeting and masking tape.
  
  

Painting Basic Colors

• 1). Assemble all paint and equipment; open and stir all the paint in preparation for use.
  
  
• 2). Pour the lightest of the blue paints (HTML 000099) into a paint pan. Use it to paint the lower 2/3 of the walls, leaving approximate 1/3 untouched at this point. Do not paint a straight edge at the top; allow the paint to "feather" in irregular patches to aid in blending the colors later.
  
  
• 3). Pour the darkest of the blue paints (HTML 000033) into a paint pan. Use a roller on an extension stick to paint an irregular circle from the center of the ceiling to within two or three feet of the walls all around, feathering the edges as before.
  
  
• 4). Pour the medium-blue paint (HTML 000066) into a paint pan. Use it to fill the space between the other two colors, leaving a 1-foot band unpainted between colors on either side for the blending area.
  
  
• 5). Add more paint to all three pans with each pan containing its original color.
  
  
• 6). Blend the colors along the unpainted borders by alternately dipping sponges or paintbrushes into the two colors on each side of the center color band then applying the paint along the band in overlapping patches. Work quickly to mix and smudge the colors together to create a blended space between the solid colors on either side. It is fine to work into the previously painted areas to achieve a subtle blending of shades.
  
  

Creating Stars

• 1). Use a spray bottle to mist water in a long line across the ceiling where you want the Milky Way galaxy to appear.
  
  
• 2). Brush white paint (HTML FFFFFF) in an irregular line across the ceiling over the dampened area, following quickly with a dry sponge to soften the white line over a broader area on either side. Pat the sponge around to dissipate the paint and give the galaxy a hazy look.
  
  
• 3). Place small amounts of light yellow (FFFF66) and pink (FF66FF) paints on a palette made from an old plate or scrap of plastic. Work tiny amounts here and there into the white of the galaxy for subtle contrast.
  
  
• 4). Continue misting the area with the sprayer, working only one small portion at a time before the water dries, until you are satisfied with the basic shape of the galaxy.
  
  
• 5). Repeat the process to create small nebulas and distant galaxies as desired.
  
  
• 6). Add stars using artist's paintbrushes in assorted sizes to make small dabs of glow-in-the-dark acrylic or latex paint, or consult a star chart to lay out true constellations.
  
  
• 7). Allow everything to dry.