Spacescape

24 inches X 36 inches, acrylics on acrylic sheet

This is another older painting (early 2004) that I learned how to do from an airbrush friend of mine, Sandi ([link]). It's "reverse painting," that is, it's painted on the inside of a sheet of glass, or in this case, an acrylic poster frame. Poster frames, being fairly cheap, are perfect for this type of project as they come with the frame and you can hang it either vertically or horizontally.

To do a reverse "spacescape" you merely need to apply some round masks to the glass or plastic (these will be your planets). Next, you spatter white paint all over the surface (a toothbrush works well, or an airbrush on low psi), these become your stars. Make sure the spatters are different sizes. Make sure the spatters are completely DRY before proceeding to the next step.

The next step is airbrushing in some nebulae, in this case they were done in a pearl blue-green. Spray a fairly large area and then using a newspaper or a wadded up cloth, press it against the fresh paint to remove some of the nebula colors to allow a random effect. Sometimes it's good to use more than one color too. Make sure that everything is dry before proceeding. The painting can be "heat set" with a blow dryer for fast results.

When you're satisfied with the nebula, use an opaque black over the entire surface (remember to keep the edges of your circular masks against the glass or acrylic) so the black doesn't creep underneath.

The final step is to remove the masks and paint your planets using whatever strikes your imagination. Using a sponging technique or a wadded up newspaper helps with texture. The fun part about doing a reverse painting is that unless you peek as you complete each step, you never know what it will look like.