fairway green/polo green

timd02 · 01-01-2010, 12:48 AM

I have my car at the shop getting ready for paint. I have selected fairway green as it looked a bit lighter on the color chip vs. the polo green which looked almost black. I googled the colors and viewed the images on both colors and I found where some of the same colors look either darker or lighter. How do you determine how dark/light the green is on the car? Does it have to do with how you tint your sealer and the color of primer that is on the car? I don't want it to be to light of a green yet I don't want it to appear almost black. The painter said that he has some greens that he could use as a base and shoot the fairway green over so that it wouldn't take as much paint and cut down on my cost. What do you guys think? Thanks

markids77 · 01-01-2010, 03:24 PM

If shot to full coverage the color should match the chip pretty closely. Have your painter spray a test panel in each color and look at them side by side in varying light... many colors look different in full sun, cloudy days and under fluorescent light. He will likely charge something to do this, but the cost will be small compared to respraying the car if you don't get the expected color. Chips are way too small a sample for the eye to get a true take on the color.

DUB · 01-01-2010, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markids77

If shot to full coverage the color should match the chip pretty closely. Have your painter spray a test panel in each color and look at them side by side in varying light... many colors look different in full sun, cloudy days and under fluorescent light. He will likely charge something to do this, but the cost will be small compared to respraying the car if you don't get the expected color. Chips are way too small a sample for the eye to get a true take on the color.

without a doubt!!!
I spray colors for customers and have them verify that is the color they want. Sometimes I "tweak" the color by adding pearls and other toners to get the desired color or effect that the customer wants.....and YES. Depending on how many "test panels" I have to shoot until a color is found...I do charge for this due to the time and materials used.

Nothing is worse than walking up to your freshly painted car and it not being the color you wanted. On "all-over" paint jobs. I have the customer sign off on the color...and initial the spray out panel....so there is NO misunderstanding that what was sprayed was the approved color.
"DUB"

timd02 · 01-01-2010, 07:23 PM

Thanks for the info. fellow forum members. How much paint is needed in order to shoot a test panel? I am not familiar with sizes that paint is sold in other than gallon and quart. I do want to have the color I have in mind even if it costs me a bit more to get it. Also, do you want the test panel to have been sprayed with clear and cut and buffed just as the whole paint job would be?

DUB · 01-02-2010, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timd02

Thanks for the info. fellow forum members. How much paint is needed in order to shoot a test panel? I am not familiar with sizes that paint is sold in other than gallon and quart. I do want to have the color I have in mind even if it costs me a bit more to get it. Also, do you want the test panel to have been sprayed with clear and cut and buffed just as the whole paint job would be?

timd02,
In my paint system I can mix 1/4 of a pint (4 ounces) to CORRECT color.

Then I shoot the test panel which is much like a gutter...so it has rolls and curves in it so you can see the effects of the color....and the way it can change at the angles in which the light hits it. A flat piece of metal will work if you choose to do so.

I shoot the test panel IN THE SAME WAY that I would shoot your car. That way the amount of clear is the same so it represents the color in the way that you would approve. In many colors...the amount of clear can change a color...much like the way a swimming pool looks from the "birds eye" view. The deeper end is a darker blue and the shallow end of the pool is lighter. On an overall..it may be hard to tell with the color that you have chosen...but if repairs were to be needed in the future...than the amounut of clear could effect the color match.

At the same time I am shooting your test panel...I also shoot a "color evaluation card". This will let me know that the color has completely covered the white and black checkers on the card...and thus my test panel is TRUE COLOR...so any undercoat really does not matter. I DO NOT use an entire color evaluation card...I only cut off a section that has ONE white and black checker on it...in order to save paint. BUT the painter MUST paint it the same way as he is shooting the test panel..and not double coat it or force dry it...uinless that is the way that they are going to paint your car.

And yes, depending on the texture finish of the final coat of clear...I may sand and buff or sand and re-clear to get the surface slick. But once again..what ever procedure I use on the test panel is the procedure that I would use on your car.

But do not worry, any paint that is still un-used..can be used on the car for the first coat of base....and often times I would apply it on the lower underside panels, inner door/hinge areas. NOW keep in mind...I would not do this if your colors that you have left over were SERIOUSLY different in shade....from each other. Somewhat like if your colors were graphite gray and silver. If I were to be shooting your car silver...I would not apply the graphite gray...but If you chose the darker paint...I them MAY choose to apply the silver...it all depends....because I am also concerned about paint film thickness.

Hope this was of some help.
"DUB"