"Ghost " in the Rave – Painting a Glowstick Afterlife (Pajamas & Paint)"

Somewhere between a Y2K time capsule and a liminal rave bathroom, Ghost was born—a glowing green specter forever chasing the drop. This piece started as a 3 AM hyperfixation (fueled by neon paint and leftover pizza) and became an ode to the party ghosts we all could be.

Spoiler: Yes, there are photos of me crawling over this canvas in my ratty pajamas. No, I do not regret it.

When the art demon possesses you at 2 AM.

🕶️ INSPIRATION: A EULOGY FOR Y2K’S UNDEAD

• Visual Vibes: "What if The Ring girl hacked a Hot Topic in 2003?"

  • Think: Low-rise jeans meets glowstick ectoplasm.

  • References: Tamagotchi static, Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ but haunted, that one Windows 98 screensaver.

• The Ghost’s Backstory:

  "She didn’t die—she just raved so hard her soul got stuck in a flip phone."

Process: How to paint a ghost with trust issues

1. Materials (Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Chaos)

• Canvas: 24" x 36" (big enough to drown in, small enough to curse at).

• Paint: Acrylics so neon they glow under blacklight (and my shame).

• Brushes: One “good” brush for details, three chewed-up ones for existential crises.

2. The First Layer: Banishing the Blank Canvas Demon

Let’s be real—“setting the mood” is just a fancy way of saying “I’m terrified of the void.” I slathered on a monochrome blue layer (to mimic 3 AM moonlight through a dirty club window), but mostly to stop the blank canvas from judging me.

(Pic: The canvas mid-trashed, caption: “When in doubt, throw paint like it’s a glowstick.”)

3. Color & Depth: Or, How I Accidentally Summoned a Rave Phantom

• Her glow: Phthalo green + zinc white = “just-licked-a-glowstick” radiance.

• Pro tip: Step back every 10 minutes (to check composition and remind yourself you’re not actually at a 2003 rave).

4. Final Touches: When in Doubt, Add Glitter (Maybe)

• Silver paint highlights: Tried. Panicked. Kept them.

• Glitter: I still dream about it.

• Easter eggs: A tiny “BRB” AIM message hidden in the static (RIP, my social life).

(GIF idea: Tilting the painting to show the interference paint shimmer.)

THE AFTERLIFE (OF THIS ARTWORK)

• Display Tips: Hang it under blacklight for full "late-night rave séance" mode.

• Subtext: "We’re all just ghosts waiting for our favorite song to play again."

Artistic workspace showing vibrant colors and tools used to create Ghost.

Let’s Stay Connected (before the Y2K curse claims us all)

II share daily art snippets, process videos, and way too many horror movie screenshots on Instagram @ingridmunizart. Slide into my DMs—tell me your favorite Y2K relic or how you’d haunt a nightclub.

Stay spooky (and sparkly),Ingrid Muniz