Galaxy Background Technique with Chroma Mist Sprays

Hello friends! Kathy here and I am really excited to share my galaxy background technique using Chroma Mists. There are many different techniques to create galaxy backgrounds, and I have tried a bunch, but using Chroma Mist sprays has been the most fun and provided the best results by far! Here are the supplies you will need to get started:

• Watercolor paper
• Chroma Mist – assorted colors
• Water mister
• Splatter brush
• White acrylic paint
• Black ink
• Blending brush or blending tool

I recommend using a splatter box of some sort, things can get a little messy. The wet time on the spray can be limited, so having your Chroma Mist spray ready to go is a good idea.

Let’s get started…

Place your watercolor paper in the splatter box, either at a slight angle or flat on the bottom. (I used an 8 ½ by 11 piece of paper so I could create several backgrounds at the same time.)

Using the water mister, cover the entire surface of your paper, be generous, but don’t flood the page. Randomly spray several colors of Chroma Mist on the paper. Be aware of color placement. You don’t want to end up with mud.

The inks will start moving/blending, which is a good thing. Add more spray in any open spaces and water if needed to keep the ink fluid. Don’t stress about any puddles, they are where the magic happens! The thicker layers of color will ebb and flow, which is how the nebula look is created.

When you are satisfied with the coverage, let the paper dry. If you are like me and on the impatient side, using a heat tool speeds up the process.

After drying, trim paper to desired size.

Now comes the hard part, adding the cover of night over the beautiful background you just created…. Using a blending brush or blending tool, apply a light layer of black ink over the entire surface. I typically use a water reactive ink, which is easier to blend than a permanent ink. Don’t be too heavy handed, you can always add another layer if you want it darker. 

To add stars to the background, make a small puddle of white paint on your work surface. Dip the splatter brush in the puddle to load the tips with paint. Hold the brush over the background and grasp near the middle. Pull back and release, splattering white dots on the background. You may need to reposition the brush and change the paper angle in order to cover the entire area.

Next, I used a small sponge dauber to ink the cut edges and edge the background in black. Edging is a personal preference, I do it on most of my inked backgrounds, but if you like what you have, leave it off.

Your background is now ready to use!

 I created my card using the space dies and astronaut stamp from the Stamp Club and Die of the Month Club subscriptions.

Happy crafting!