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Cost: $ $ $ $ $

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Time: 1h00

something to look at as you fall asleep
My friend was saying he needed a new lightshade for his room, and soon after I discovered an old paper shade perfectly preserved in the compost bin from the previous tentants! So I got it out, dusted it off, and thought about how to decorate it. This took a while as I am wont to forget about things and then come back to them. Eventually one day I was bored and suddenly decided that what it needed was some funky paint work! Thus ensued the creativity...
I didn't take photos as I went along but these pictures illustrate the step descriptions :)

Posted by Britta J. from Derby, England, United Kingdom • Published 17th June 2010 • See Britta J.'s 66 projects »

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Corvii favorited Glow Lightshade 28 May 09:46
Britta J. entered their project Glow Lightshade to Pogo Connect 08 May 08:38
Britta J. entered their project Glow Lightshade to Hardware Store Decor Contest 16 Sep 21:43

Step 1
Get your paper shade ready. This style is everywhere now, pick one up from IKEA if you don't have one spare already. I opened mine out with the wire support inside it so that all the paper was uncreased and ready for painting. I held it and rotated it in my left hand rather than have it hanging since I didn't want it swinging about all the time.
Step 2
Squeeze a small amount of dark blue acrylic onto a pallette and dilute with about triple the amount of water. Use a paintbrush to apply this all over the outside of the lightshade, making some bits darker or lighter (more concentrated or watery paint) as you please for a nice textured effect.
Step 3
Don't worry about allowing that last step to dry, if it's wet it helps the next load of paint blend in. To your diluted blue paint, add a big squeeze of silver acrylic and mix. Dab and flick this on all over until you are happy with the coverage.
Step 4
Finally, take a smaller brush and dot on the glow-in-the-dark paint all over. Try to do clusters and some bigger or smaller than the rest, to make it look like constellations of stars. Allow to dry.
Step 5
finished lightshade
Step 6
Allow it to soak up some light and then switch off the lights! My camera isn't sensitive enough to pick up the glow so I drew a picture to help you imagine :)