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Admiring the night sky can be even more enjoyable indoors with the use of StarMurals. The painted astrological artwork is invisible when room lights are on, but gives the appearance of a starry sky when light disappears from a room. Imitating the real night sky, more stars appear as the sun goes down or light escapes the room.
"It's an artistic process that is designed to replicate the night sky as seen from earth or from deep space," says Rip Read, owner of Los Angeles-based StarMurals. Read's artwork features stars that twinkle at a rate comparable to real stars, which he calls Astro-realism.
StarMurals stands out from competitive products by not requiring electricity, whereas competitor displays use fiber optics or LEDs. "The creation of StarMurals involves industrial-grade phosphorescent pigments that absorb photons of light, store those photons and then radiate the light over an extended period of time," Read adds. "My art absorbs photons of light from all UV sources passively, either by exposure to natural UV sunlight, or normal light sources in the room."
During the day, the artwork and stars are hardly noticeable, which allows the surface to fit in with the rest of the room. "I try to match the sheen of the ceiling's surface on-site. If you closely match the sheen, then you won't see the work," Read says. "It is as invisible as invisible can get."
StarMurals can be applied to almost any surface and color is the only consideration designers/builders need to keep in mind. The darker the color, the more visible the stars become, he adds.
The best time for designers/builders to bring StarMurals into a project is after drywall and before finishes. "It's nice to have a surface in a room without flooring installed yet; it requires fewer surfaces to protect," Read says.
Read will work closely with designers/builders who are interested in including his artwork in one of their homes. "Various 8-in. by 10-in. samples on canvas artboard can be sent to anyone interested. You'll understand the concept by looking at the sample," Read adds.
For more information on StarMurals circle 152 or please visit starmurals.com. — Maureen Alley
author: By Harry Spaulding