Mix and match colors for a bold visual impact.
Your ceiling is your fifth wall, so don't be afraid to make a splash with bold colors and a big design. Painting geometric shapes on the ceiling takes a lot of planning and care, since the precision is what makes the project come alive. Don't work too quickly, because messy or uneven lines can hamper your work. Use your imagination to build a pattern first, then take it to the ceiling and get painting.
Instructions
1. Plan your work before you begin. Measure the dimensions of your ceiling so you know what size canvas you have. Make a template on paper, freehand drawing the shapes you want. Make the shapes to scale, so your template is a full-scale mold of the ceiling.
2. Cut the shapes you want to put on the ceiling out of thick cardboard. Cut the pieces to scale, so you have all of the squares, circles, rectangles or other shapes you plan to use. Use a ruler to help you get the lines straight and a compass to draw even circles.
3. Get out your ladder and set it up. If you don't need one to reach the ceiling, skip this step.
4. Climb the ladder, shape in hand. Hold the shape to the ceiling. Lightly draw around the shape in pencil.
5. Do this for all the geometric shapes, until everything you want to paint on the ceiling has been outlined in pencil.
6. Tape long strips of masking tape around the outside of the shapes. Leave the pencil line inside the shape so you can paint over it. Use one to two layers of masking tape, so you don't brush over into another shape's territory or into neutral space.
7. Prepare the room for painting. Move furniture out of the room, or push it to one side and cover it with a drop cloth so you don't get paint on your belongings.
8. Open your paint can with the tool and stir it with a paint stick.
9. Climb your ladder, resting the paint can on the ladder. If your ladder doesn't have a recessed tray, hold the paint in your hand.
10. Dip you brush into the paint. Load paint onto the brush, then scrape the brush against the side of the paint can to dislodge extra paint that can drip. The brush should have a visible coat of paint and should not be dripping. If it is dripping, keep wiping off excess paint.
11. Paint your shape, adding more paint to the brush when needed. Paint inside the masking tape. You may cover a bit of the tape, if necessary, but do not stray outside the tape or you will make a splotch on the ceiling.
12. Paint your other shapes the same way, alternating paint colors when needed.
13. Allow the paint to dry fully, using the recommended dry time on your paint can.
14. Do another coat, if needed. If you are happy with the color of the paint, climb the ladder and carefully remove the masking tape from your ceiling.
