Thread: Picking a color

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Im another newby to painting , but have done a bit of reading and really appreciate how these sites work. I just want to quickly say thanks to all of the more experienced guys and the time you spend helping us. I've got a question regarding colors that may interest alot of others trying to get into painting, and it concerns picking a color/system, and the ease or difficulties related to the choice. So far I have gathered bits and pieces but I think that the more experienced guys out there could save us newby's alot of heartache. Generally speaking am I right on what I have learned, and please add to the list what you have learned.

Metallics never want to paint body panels seperately or off the car
metallics will lay in different directions

Candys One of the more difficult systems to master and fix imperfections
Another one that you dont want to paint 1 panel by itself

BC/CC Modern durable BC/CC good choice for first timer. BC imperfections
can be sanded and reshot gaining experience in time for clear coat

Laquers Almost a thing of the past not durable. Do have exceptional gloss.
Extremely incompatable with repaints. Oxidize easily but can
be rebuffed to gloss.

Acrylic Enamels .Can be applied as single stage due to high gloss. Not as
durable as todays finishes, but more so than laquers. Can be clear
coated with compatable product.Inexpensive moderately durable
repaint

Acrylic Urethanes.Durable finish. Can be single stage due to high gloss or
used with compatable Clear Coat. Relatively inexpensive. Im not
really sure why modern BC/CC or prefered over this? Inputs?

Reds Marroons. Generally speaking expensive. Cheaper brands are more
succeptable to fading

Black Ive read that a black repaint can be expensive? Not sure why
is this because it is just hard to paint in black?

White ?

Yellow ?

pearls ?

You get the point. So far I've all but ruled out metallics, because Im planning on painting with the panels off the car. I may have to paint off, reassemble, and paint again if Im not happy. I am planning on painting black, but the whole thing about a thread that Ive read claiming that a black paint job can cost alot scares me a little leaving me to think that black may not be a color for a begginer. Ive also chosen the BC/CC for reasons sited above.

Anyway, thanks for reading and please feel free to add, or tell me where Im wrong.

Black is one of the colors that can be painted one panel at a time. The reason it's expensive is all of the prep and finish work for a surface that is "all about light reflections". Think of it as a mirror. Things only have to be a few thousandths off, and you can see it.

BTW Metallics are much easier with the new paint systems, but you have to shoot the car together. Good luck.

Thanks HRP. I was thinking that might be the case. My guess is that any really dark color would be similar, and the whites/yellows/creams would be just the opposite. Ive edited my 1st post to add some more things that Ive learned on this forum. Any thoughts on why the modern BC/CC are used over the less expensive acrylic urethane with compatable clear coat. This seems to be a durable affordable choice that would still look good even if some of the clear was scratched or peeled due to the bottom coats glossiness.

Dark colors are always a more difficult, because they require the things I mentioned. Metallics tend to hind minor imperfections better than solids, but that wouldn't be an option when painting a piece at a time.

Most colors are a mixture of tints and toners, so they would have to be mixed very thoroughly just before spraying each piece, or the settling action will seperate the tints, and you may have a mismatch. Black and a base mixing white would be exceptions.

The advantages of BC/CC urethane are many. If you think you will continue painting other projects, I would recommend this most popular system so you become familiar with using it. All colors are available in this system, where you are limited in other paint types. I just gave away a few thousand dollars worth of paint, and went totally urethane, for just this reason.

Hotrodpaint-

I have heard that painting with HOK kameleon paint (or similar color shifting paints) although expensive, lends itself well to painting parts of a car versus the whole car. Also touch up or repaint matching is little trouble due to the color shifting qualtities of the paint. Is that correct?

Originally Posted by mopar34

Hotrodpaint-

I have heard that painting with HOK kameleon paint (or similar color shifting paints) although expensive, lends itself well to painting parts of a car versus the whole car. Also touch up or repaint matching is little trouble due to the color shifting qualtities of the paint. Is that correct?

True. To the best of my knowledge, there is NO COLORED PIGMENT in the Kameleons. The paint only contains little prismatic flakes that refract, or break apart light. Besides, if it didn't match....who would know!

I doubt if most of these guys would be interested, as paying for materials is a real issue. For me, the best price on Kameleon type paints is the X-otic brand, at about $400 a quart, the last time I bought any. You would need 1-4 quarts, depending on the project, type of spray equipment, plus all of your other paint products that go into the job. The total for materials would be about $1000-$2000, depending on what you want to do, plus more to include graphics.

If you use it, you would want to be sure to put 3 wet coats on, to assure that there isn't too much of the base color showing through.

I've used Dupont Chrome Illustion paints with great results, covers nice and easy to match if needed... Like HOTRODPAINT said it is very pricy at around $400 per quart...

Here is a photo of a bike I painted with that stuff...

Dave Brisco
Dangerous DesignWorx

Dangerous Toy,
Good job on the tanks! Your making me want to spend $1000 on paint. Im not a tight wad, but I dont know if my wife would let me spring for that. If I do, she would get her revenge by filling up the kitchen with another 30 or 40 gadgets. Again thanks for the inputs and if anyone else has more, Id be thankful. I want to do a nice job on my car, and Im not afraid to spend 400 or 500 hundred or so, Ive got 20 times that spent already. The only real colors Im considering are red, black, and a metallic dark silver,greyish color. I think I know what the ups and downs are to black and metallics, any thing I should know about Red other than that its expensive? Im sure it too would be hard to paint with identical matches if you did so two or three panels at a time. I think Im leaning towards taking the panels off and painting the lips etc that tuck under other panels either the red or metallic silver, reassemble, and then paint the entire car. If I ever get this thing going, Ill post pictures. Im taking it slow though. Ive bought a 60gal 3.5hp compressor, piping, and filter regulator(all installed) over the last two months. My next purchase is the gun which Im probably going to go with the devilbiss plus rp. Any thoughts. The sata's would again result in way too many kitchen appliances as retribution.

If you're painting B/C, depending on the color and brand, and counting primer, sealer, thinners, hardeners, cleaners, etc., it's easy to spend $1500 in materials - even in a solid color. Red can be pretty expensive because of the pigment it takes. It's one of the more expensive solids colors.

I guess to look on the bright side, my car will be a classic by the time I save up enough money to get everything I need to get it painted. Little by Little!
Geez the body shops must be getting some serious discounts!

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

If you're painting B/C, depending on the color and brand, and counting primer, sealer, thinners, hardeners, cleaners, etc., it's easy to spend $1500 in materials - even in a solid color. Red can be pretty expensive because of the pigment it takes. It's one of the more expensive solids colors.

This is absolutely true, but don't let anyone talk you into buying a cheap red. It will fade pretty fast...then you'll have a pink car!..........unless, of course, that appeals to you. :-)

Shops don't get that big of discounts. We do get them but even if we didn't it doesn't matter since the customer pays for them and plus a certain percentage on top of that and 65 bucks an hour or whatever the local shop charges. If you have a nice classic car and want the paint to last for years to come then spend the extra money and buy good paint and do it RIGHT the first time. We get people comming in a lot wanting things done cheap and it always screws up or they are not happy. We get them to come in and do a single stage paint and then put a clear coat over it and yes people do it all the time and it looks pretty nice but don't be a cheap ass and just get BC/CC. I understand some people don't have the money and that's fine but don't complain when the paint comes off and fades in 3 or 4 years instead of 8-10.