Yes a few years learning the trade and then many years gaining experience on top of that helps.
Didn't realise you started plastering straight out of the womb. Everyone has to start somewhere and doing a small area in your own home seems a good place to have a first go.
Easy tiger.
What Nicm said is true, even though it might sting to hear it. Plastering is a skill that takes a lot of practice, and yes, you have to start somewhere, but you unfortunately chose to run before you can walk.
Plastering walls takes a lot of practice.
Plastering a ceiling takes a lot more practice (and effort) than walls.
Plastering an
artex ceiling is even more challenging, for several reasons.
Not knocking you for trying, but maybe try a few small walls to begin with.
As for your ceiling, yes, it really would be best to get a professional spread in to do that.
Personally, I would recommend you get the ceiling overboarded first, but there are many who will tell you you don't need to - and there are many failed jobs where an overskim onto artex has cracked and shelled-off the ceiling, which is
why those that recommend overboarding recommend overboarding. You have to bear in mind that to just overskim artex means applying a thick coat of plaster to cover the peaks of the artex - and thick plaster is heavy and doesn't flex well. If you have some flex in your ceiling joists when someone walks on it, upstairs, then there is always the risk that that thick coat of rigid plaster will shell-off the ceiling.
