<p>Add high contrast polka-dots all over the car. This will totally upstage the hand painted areas and make the fact that they don't match moot. It could be any other pattern, like zig-zagging lines, but polka-dots are the most effective due to the euphoria polka-dots trigger in the human mind.</p>

<p>BTW - You will never be able to just cheaply match an original or pro paint job. Auto paint is a multi-layered process involving wet sanding the layers, applying a clear top coat, etc... with specialty paints. With metallic (or flake) paint that gets even more involved. Pro painters often brag about the number of layers of top coat they use in metallic finishes to get "depth" to the effect. And even then, using the same color will not match because of fading, even if slight, of the original paint.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-09T16:34:13.513Z
Painting a car  to look like original is more of an industrial process than "arts and crafts" project.
blacksmith37
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-07T13:54:49.083Z
2020-05-07T13:54:49.083Z
rebusB
<p>I've got a used car that had a lot of oxidation on it so I sand it, applied a primer and a cheap paint on it. Although the color code on the spray can matched the original code on the car, it seems that there are some differences in shade. It's not fully visible but there are some angles (like the one in the picture below) that looks very obvious. I don't want to paint it again or invest any money into serious body work, but I was wondering if it is possible to add some artistic elements that would diminish this shade difference from this angle. What colors or what trim elements would help to "trick" the eye? I'm not really an artist and I can't imagine if that is even possible, but any advice on how to make this possible would be great. Any creating (and hopefully cheap) idea would help a lot. Thank you!</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/aYE1D.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/aYE1D.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-15T05:57:51.660Z
I am not sure what I see in the picture, but it looks like your car needs a proper painting, not a hack. The darker area looks spotted like camouflage, and the lighter area looks already scratched. None of these problems can really be hacked. Maybe apply a lot of dirt?! :)
virolino
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-15T12:48:16.737Z
The cheapest options that i can think of are buying a sharpie and just doodling away or using some stickers - plotted car wraps or sth like that - would be fairly cheap too if you can find some generic designs with fitting dimensions.
Lapskaus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-15T23:55:28.643Z
Add a horizontal stripe along the side (just underneath that rim, or so) in a notable colour (e.g. neon red). It's mostly distraction at that point, so it will only draw attention while you drive by :) If it were up to me, though, I'd paint the entire car that way. I like texture and prefer matte finishes: it makes it look more unique, like a machine, and with a history.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-16T06:08:51.000Z
I am just curious, is the question proper for their site? The guy does not want to pimp the car, he just wants to hack a bad paint job.
virolino
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-16T16:57:18.963Z
Isn’t this an opportunity to test those “lovely” car cleaning products that are “seen on tv”? Otherwise a fun Calvin and Hobbes sticker should draw attention.
Not The Face
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-19T23:26:53.847Z
Thank you everyone for your suggestions. 1. Yes, it is an awful crappy job that I did, but I have learned that painting a car with a spray can is definitely not for everyone. 2. I have used some compounds and a #2000 grit pad for buffing/cleaning as Not that face suggested. Will try with wool pad next. 3. The dirt option might work. Actually, when the car is wet, the colors seem to match, so I’m thinking that maybe polishing will solve this. 4. I thought of stickers, but I’m sure that if I don’t put them right, it’ll look even worse. Since when it’s wet it fits (ish), any other suggestions?
CuriousPaul
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-19T23:28:05.850Z
Are there any hacks to make it look wet?
CuriousPaul
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-22T18:38:46.753Z
@NotTheFace Many things improve when you throw in Calvin & Hobbes - seconded!
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-22T18:46:08.750Z
@virolino I think the means are more important than the goal for deciding the on-topicness, especially in this case: it combines a crafts project with an undesired outcome, that needs to be fixed, if possible, with an alternative approach that could be even craftier, as it should be visually 'deceptive' (something that's a big part of art).
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-22T18:49:15.187Z
There are Wet Look waxes for cars. But a quick search shows that the underlying polish is more important, so that might not be ideal.
Joachim
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-22T18:52:21.690Z
All right! Just saw that that there are indeed glossy wet polish compounds. That might actually help. Thank you for the tip. I might also consider Calvin and Hobbes. They look cool. Didn’t know about them
CuriousPaul
<material-selection><painting><pencil-shading>
What artistic elements to add to a car to diminish a difference in color shade?
CuriousPaul
# What artistic elements to add to a car to diminish a difference in color shade?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-04-14)

I've got a used car that had a lot of oxidation on it so I sand it, applied a primer and a cheap paint on it. Although the color code on the spray can matched the original code on the car, it seems that there are some differences in shade. It's not fully visible but there are some angles (like the one in the picture below) that looks very obvious. I don't want to paint it again or invest any money into serious body work, but I was wondering if it is possible to add some artistic elements that would diminish this shade difference from this angle. What colors or what trim elements would help to "trick" the eye? I'm not really an artist and I can't imagine if that is even possible, but any advice on how to make this possible would be great. Any creating (and hopefully cheap) idea would help a lot. Thank you!

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/aYE1D.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/aYE1D.jpg)

**Tags:** material-selection, painting, pencil-shading

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I am not sure what I see in the picture, but it looks like your car needs a proper painting, not a hack. The darker area looks spotted like camouflage, and the lighter area looks already scratched. None of these problems can really be hacked. Maybe apply a lot of dirt?! :)  
> **username_2**: The cheapest options that i can think of are buying a sharpie and just doodling away or using some stickers - plotted car wraps or sth like that - would be fairly cheap too if you can find some generic designs with fitting dimensions.  
> **username_3**: Add a horizontal stripe along the side (just underneath that rim, or so) in a notable colour (e.g. neon red). It's mostly distraction at that point, so it will only draw attention while you drive by :) If it were up to me, though, I'd paint the entire car that way. I like texture and prefer matte finishes: it makes it look more unique, like a machine, and with a history.  
> **username_1**: I am just curious, is the question proper for their site? The guy does not want to pimp the car, he just wants to hack a bad paint job.  
> **username_4**: Isn’t this an opportunity to test those “lovely” car cleaning products that are “seen on tv”? Otherwise a fun Calvin and Hobbes sticker should draw attention.  
> **username_0**: Thank you everyone for your suggestions. 1. Yes, it is an awful crappy job that I did, but I have learned that painting a car with a spray can is definitely not for everyone. 2. I have used some compounds and a #2000 grit pad for buffing/cleaning as Not that username_4 suggested. Will try with wool pad next. 3. The dirt option might work. Actually, when the car is wet, the colors seem to match, so I’m thinking that maybe polishing will solve this. 4. I thought of stickers, but I’m sure that if I don’t put them right, it’ll look even worse. Since when it’s wet it fits (ish), any other suggestions?  
> **username_0**: Are there any hacks to make it look wet?  
> **username_3**: @username_4 Many things improve when you throw in Calvin & Hobbes - seconded!  
> **username_3**: @username_1 I think the means are more important than the goal for deciding the on-topicness, especially in this case: it combines a crafts project with an undesired outcome, that needs to be fixed, if possible, with an alternative approach that could be even craftier, as it should be visually 'deceptive' (something that's a big part of art).  
> **username_3**: There are Wet Look waxes for cars. But a quick search shows that the underlying polish is more important, so that might not be ideal.  
> **username_0**: All right! Just saw that that there are indeed glossy wet polish compounds. That might actually help. Thank you for the tip. I might also consider Calvin and Hobbes. They look cool. Didn’t know about them  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-05-07. Score: 2

Add high contrast polka-dots all over the car. This will totally upstage the hand painted areas and make the fact that they don't match moot. It could be any other pattern, like zig-zagging lines, but polka-dots are the most effective due to the euphoria polka-dots trigger in the human mind.

BTW - You will never be able to just cheaply match an original or pro paint job. Auto paint is a multi-layered process involving wet sanding the layers, applying a clear top coat, etc... with specialty paints. With metallic (or flake) paint that gets even more involved. Pro painters often brag about the number of layers of top coat they use in metallic finishes to get "depth" to the effect. And even then, using the same color will not match because of fading, even if slight, of the original paint.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Painting a car  to look like original is more of an industrial process than "arts and crafts" project.  

---

