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Faux night sky ceiling - got info?

post #1 of 21
7/3/04 at 8:56am
Thread Starter 
Looking for examples, and preferably how-to's, on painting a night sky ceiling.

Thanks!
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post #2 of 21
7/3/04 at 10:18pm
I was in a nature type store at the mall the other day (natural wonders or something like that). They sell a kit that has glow in the dark stars and planets and such specifically for a ceiling. I was thinking about using it for my sons room. Even if you don't want to use the kit, however, it also comes with a chart that shows you where everything goes (IIRC). So, even if you just wanted to paint the stars and other objects, the chart should give you a blueprint.
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post #3 of 21
7/3/04 at 11:44pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks... I'm looking more for a suggestion on paints, techniques, glazes, etc to use.
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post #4 of 21
7/4/04 at 2:43pm
The professional installs use fiber optic lighting, which they thread through the ceiling strand by strang, in order to create the night sky effect. I don't have the links handy but if you search the archives for "fiber optic" a bunch of links should show up.
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post #5 of 21
7/4/04 at 3:37pm
Thread Starter 
I'm quite familiar with fiber optics, but that's not what I'm referring to either. It's a painting technique alone that I'm looking at.
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post #6 of 21
7/5/04 at 5:55am
I'm kind of curious; are you looking for a, say, dark blue sky with stars painted onto it (à lá toothbrush splatters,) or are you looking for something that can be lit to give you day / twilight / or nighttime effect sky?

If you wanted stars but without the tooth-brush, I'd guess that a small Japanese or Chinese 'bamboo' brush would be the way to go for painting the stars...

Now, if you want to be really funky about it, consider an alternative in blacklighting. Wildfire has some really neat paints that go on clear that respond to UV lighting... difficult to make work well for a standard home theater, I'd imagine, but something worth looking at. They're at

http://www.wildfirefx.com

Leo Kerr
Lkerr1@alumni.umbc.edu
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post #7 of 21
7/5/04 at 8:08am
Thread Starter 
Yes... just a very dark blue, with a spatter for the stars, and maybe even some clouds (say, ~10pm sky).

I've looked at those paints you pointed me to also... found a few good suppliers. Almost all of them recommend painted it on a white base color, which i'm not quite sure why.
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post #8 of 21
7/6/04 at 1:33am
Check my ceiling out at my website!

Wes
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post #9 of 21
7/6/04 at 9:58pm
We paid a muralist to do our ceiling. However, to save a little on the cost, we did the base coat (navy blue). Our muralist used an airbrush to add in some aqua, white/gray, and a few other colors to really give it a good 3d effect. Then, she added in a few stars and comets.

I'm not doing a very good job of describing it, but I'll try to take some pictures...
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post #10 of 21
7/7/04 at 6:26am
If you want to budget your money ... how about using something like this:

http://www.decoratetoday.com/product...y=1&si=3&ref=1

I think that would look awesome on the ceiling.

- Colton
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post #11 of 21
7/7/04 at 12:02pm
The best I've seen is is this...

www dot nightskymurals dot com
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post #12 of 21
7/7/04 at 8:12pm
Does anyone know what a rough estimate on cost on the night sky murals runs? Looks like a really cool technique.
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post #13 of 21
7/7/04 at 9:07pm
Thread Starter 
To do yourself, or have done? The link above is a service, and they simply paint the ceiling, then put on the glow in the dark pigment paint.

I'm leaning toward using the black light paint myself... dont have to worry about the fade out over time. Gonna cost more for the blacklights though.
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post #14 of 21
7/7/04 at 9:42pm
I guess my question should have been multi-fold. The website from above looks like they do a fantastic job and is exactly the type of thing that I'd want to have, but I'd bet it is really expensive to ahve them do it.

With that in mind, I wonder if the product that they use to paint the stars is available to the general public. I could easily set up a small planetarium-type projector and work my way across the room painting the star dots in the right places. It's probably take the better part of a weekend, but certainly not out of the question if the paint product is commercially available to little guys like me.
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post #15 of 21
7/7/04 at 10:08pm
Thread Starter 
No... both paints I referenced in my previous posts are available to you.

Luminescent paints (for ultraviolet light) are available here; http://www.wildfirefx.com/product_lupaint.asp?PID=12 and other places.

The glow in the dark paints are available at www.Glowinc.com , www.hobbyglow.com and many others.
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post #16 of 21
7/8/04 at 7:04am
Well, I inquired with NightSkyMurals to do our 11x22 HT Room and was quoted $1415 - not sure if that includes the airfare for him to come out and paint, but he's located in Utah (I'm in Oklahoma).

- Colton
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post #17 of 21
7/8/04 at 3:03pm
Found this today on the web. This might be of some good help. Think i'll buy my paint from the Glow Inc. company above. Thanks, MikeN.

I think if I use this stencil for the center part of my theater ceiling, then I can come in around the sides and just fill in with random stars.

http://hardinoptical.com/summersky.html
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post #18 of 21
7/8/04 at 3:23pm
The link i quoted is a chain, of experienced people who do this type of thing... I haven't done it personally, but if I were to do it, this would be the way to go...

I suggest you search Night Sky Mural in google... you'll get lotsa others, possibly in your area

John
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post #19 of 21
7/26/04 at 11:18pm
Recreate "STARRY NIGHT"!!!!
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post #20 of 21
7/27/04 at 12:50pm
Go down to your local Art School or community college and find the art department. Post an add on the wall stating that your looking for someone to paint a night sky mural. If you supply materials I bet you can find a very talented kid to hook you up for $200 or less.

I paid for rent by painting murals for people when I was in Art School. Who knows the kid may be famous some day and you will have some of their art in your house.

Oh yea, ask to see some examples of their work before you hire them. They may not have done a mural but you can judge by their other drawing and painting skills to see if they meet your requirement.
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post #21 of 21
11/10/08 at 2:11pm

Re: Faux night sky ceiling - got info?

Guys,
I contacted Jeff at the nightmurals website and he has been like awesome.. I sent on Sunday and he was very responsive and sent A LOT of infor to help me sort out RIGHT from the start..

Havent see the work yet but WOW he is terrific with detailed info.
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