Forget firing up Photoshop and playing around with the noise filer to create your next galaxy-themed wallpaper (if that’s a thing you do regularly) — take a page from filmmaker Joey Shanks’ book and head for the garage with a sheet of glass and some basic supplies from your fridge and office. OK… so it’s not as practical as the digital route, but geez, it’s a hell of a lot more fun.
In the video above, Shanks shows viewers exactly how he creates various cosmic scenes using simple components, with help from a spotlight and a floating Canon 5D. He then proceeds to squirt milk from a syringe onto a suspended glass sheet, before adding his “secret ingredient” — hydrogen peroxide. Water apparently can be used as well, but too much will give you an “aquatic feel”, which in the right circumstances probably looks awesome too, but not space awesome.
As for the DVD spindle? It makes for an excellent planet silhouette.
Shanks is fairly prolific when it comes to cracking out great special effects, so check out his YouTube channel Shanks FX if you’re keen to see more.