How AI Helped Me Paint a Nebula (and Taught Me Patience)

the final stage of my nebula background

It took me several days to get this far—and I’m still not finished.

It all started when I set out to paint a nebula for my Echoes of Light series. I had this vivid image in my head, but my first attempt turned into a complete mess.

So, I turned to AI. I asked it for guidance on how to create a nebula background in acrylics, and what it told me completely changed my process: you have to build it in layers.

Those swirling clouds of cosmic color don’t just appear with one pass of the brush. AI explained that to achieve those vibrant, saturated clouds, you have to build them gradually—one translucent layer at a time. It recommended thinning the acrylic with either water or a glazing medium.

For my first painting, Return of the Spectrum, I used water. It worked—but not without challenges. The paint sometimes ran too thin or got muddy. I had to fight the urge to add more pigment just to see instant results. That impulse often made things worse, and I had to keep layering to correct my own impatience. Still, the background eventually took shape.

Then came Spectrum of Light, the second painting in the series. This time I tried a glazing medium instead of water. It gave me more control, but it wasn’t easier. In fact, this background took even more patience. There were moments I wanted to give up—but I stayed with it, and slowly the nebula started to come alive.

Right now, the background is done, but the figure hasn’t been painted yet. And I’m okay with that. Every brushstroke brings me closer—not just to the finished piece, but to understanding my own creative rhythm.

Both of these works are part of my upcoming series Echoes of Light—a collection of 8 to 9 paintings where each subject turns toward a natural light source: a moon, a sun, a nebula, or a constellation. The series is about light, yes—but also about perspective, transformation, and the beauty of facing forward.

🖼️ Want to see how the background of Spectrum of Light was built? Check out the process video on Instagram:👉

https://www.instagram.com/p/DM8TTJrv2TB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

More updates to come as I continue layering, shaping, and finishing this series—one brushstroke at a time.

With love & color,

Julene