How to Create a Milky Way Effect on a Ceiling

Research the type of image you want of the Milky Way. Depending on the angle at which it can be seen, you could paint a wide swathe of stars as though you're looking at it from earth, or you could display it sideways on, showing the hump in the middle of a thin line of stars. Alternatively, you can view it end on to show the internal spiral.

Buy paints and paint powders that store up energy from incandescent bulbs, ultraviolet light or low energy bulbs. Unless you use a UV light regularly, energy saving bulbs are better than incandescence for recharging paints; a central light fitting gives the quickest recharge. Use a UV light while you're painting, so that you can see what you're doing.

Clear the room of furniture and then cover immovables and the floor with dust sheets. Brush the ceiling with a soft broom to remove dust and cobwebs. Use a table high enough for you to reach the ceiling comfortably and big enough to allow you to take a step or two without falling off.

Start painting. For a dark ceiling, paint the Milky Way in ordinary white paint first and then apply the special paints and powders. White reflects light better, while dark backgrounds tend to absorb it, resulting in a less effective paint job. Alternatively, have a white ceiling, which may suit your daytime décor better.

Use a spray bottle filled with thinned paint to spray swathes of tiny stars. Refer to the product manufacturer's instructions for thinning the paint. Hold the bottle further away for a lighter scattering. For splatter effects, dip a nailbrush into the paint and flick your thumb across the bristles. Add in bigger stars with an artist's paintbrush.

Add gas clouds. Dip a clean, damp rag into paint powder and apply it over large areas of your background stars. Alternatively, brush the rag across the galaxy in large sweeps, using more or less powder depending on the opacity you want. Add more sprayed, splattered or painted stars to suggest extra depth.