I found out how much paint color can change in different light

I was fixing a blue sedan last week and the paint looked perfect in the shop. When I rolled it outside for the customer, it looked totally wrong, like a different shade. I looked it up and found a chart from a paint company showing that some colors can shift up to 30% under fluorescent lights versus sunlight. I had no idea the difference could be that big. Now I always check my color matches in natural light before I call a job done. Has anyone else run into this and have a good way to check colors besides just walking the car outside?

3 comments

3 Comments

gray_walker4914d agoTop Commenter

My buddy who does custom motorcycle paint keeps a set of those full spectrum LED bulbs in his booth. He told me they get you way closer to noon daylight than the old fluorescents. The color shift chart you saw is real, some of those factory metallics are basically chameleon paint. I started using a small portable work light with a daylight bulb just to spot check before the car even leaves the bay. It's saved me a few call backs already.

grace_fox314d ago

Yeah, that's a solid move for checking your work. I mean, those full spectrum LEDs are way better than fluorescents for sure, but they still aren't perfect noon sun. The CRI rating on the bulb matters a ton. Some cheaper ones say "daylight" but the color rendering is off, so a match might look good under your light but different outside. It's still a huge step up, just gotta know the gear's limits.

fiona3329d ago

Exactly. The CRI is the real key. Good bulbs make a world of difference.