How to Design a Car Paint Job
"Body color is where we can embody our image. We can picture our dream easily there," according to Ayaka Go, a car color design specialist. Designing the exterior paint job on a car allows the owner to completely personalize and customize the image she projects through her car's paint job. There are an infinite number of designs and color combinations that can be painted on a car. There is little reason to have a car with a paint job that is an exact replica of another.
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Instructions
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Color images of cars with paint jobs that you like. You can also collect images of the vehicles, including trucks or motorcycles, with custom paint jobs that you like. Take pictures at car shows and search the Internet for car club gallery images.
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Organize all the images in a notebook. Research the actual paint colors that were used and order swatches of the paint if available.
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Sketch your car on a sheet of paper or take a digital image of your vehicle. Load this image into a computer.
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Open the image in a photo-editing or paint program, or upload an image that is similar in shape to your car's body in an online car customization application like Create a Ride or Nascar Paint Booth.
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Test out different designs and paint color combinations that you saved in your notebook in the computer program or car customization application on your car. While working in the photo-editing program or paint program, simply use the free form select tool in paint or the marque tool in Photoshop to outline the design or copy the color and paste it on the image of your car. Print or hand sketch your favorite design.
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Consult with an autobody paint professional regarding the paint job that you have designed. Some professionals will create the paint job digitally before you have it painted to make sure the paint job is perfect. Or order the swatches and paint a sample on some metal or a model yourself---testing it in different outdoor lighting or show lighting---before you commit to the paint job.
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Tips & Warnings
Use professionals with an excellent gallery---view some of their work in person in natural light---for the best paint job.
Consider paint options such as racing stripes, pearl, and temperature sensitive color changing paint.
If you do the paint job yourself, make sure to follow all recommended preparation and application methods and apply all the base coats, paint coats and sealer coats as recommended.
