The Power Of Color

Automotive Finishing, Winter, 2000 by Stephane Rochard

Drivers wan to make statements with their cars. One way to do that is through the colors they choose. For this reason automotive designers and finishers need to understand how special effect pigments work ...

Sterling blue. Sunset orange. Citrus gold. Autumn red. Sage green. Golden olive. Garnet red. Bridgewater blue. These are just a handful of the exciting colors available for automotive finishes on model-year 2001 cars. Whether metallic or non-metallic, automotive finishes sport names that guarantee a second look--not only for their trendiness but also for their color intensity or uniqueness.

Most automotive finishes contain special effect pigments that create their metallic, pearlescent or iridescent looks and even the appearance of color-shift or the "flip-flop" effect. The most popular effect pigments are based on mica or aluminum substrates. It is these special effect pigments that bring life to today's and tomorrow's hottest trends. They can make a red, a blue or a yellow breathe with excitement--an attribute that consumers demand. The color of a vehicle has an extremely strong impact upon the whole product. In fact, a recent survey by Yankelovich and Partners Inc. said that 40% of new vehicle buyers would switch brands if they couldn't get the color they wanted.

The automotive industry represents a very high demand for pearlescent pigments, and the number of effect colors being styled throughout the world is increasing. The trend in consumer markets for individualization requires manufacturers to differentiate their products, which, in the automotive industry, can be achieved through color and special effects.

Forecasting Color Trends

To create more dynamic looking automobiles, manufacturers are using increasing amounts of special effect pigments. Technology-based, or techno-based, colors, such as those that create a liquid metal effect or sparkle, and nature-based colors, such as calming neutrals, cool blues and warm browns, are driving automotive color trends worldwide.

Effect pigment manufacturers must forecast color trends in order to develop and successfully introduce products that will meet the needs of automotive manufacturers as well as consumer demand. Since it typically takes at least 2 years to introduce an effect pigment, and automotive color palettes are developed at least 3-4 years before a car is marketed, it's critical to anticipate future color trends.

There are four major themes that will influence colors and effects in model year 2004 cars. Two are techno-based, and two are nature-based. The techno based themes are named "Chameleon" and "Mirror," and the nature based themes are "Illumination" and "Eden."

The Chameleon theme encompasses finishes that exhibit a "flip-flop" effect, or multi-color play. Reds that appear with hints of blue, and teals and oranges shaded with gold will be in demand.

The Mirror theme is reminiscent of the 1950s and includes finish s that have a liquid metal effect or an anodized look. Metallic grays and tinted silvers exemplify this theme.

The Illumination theme consists of warm colors and highlights golds and oranges.

The Eden theme includes aquatic blues and pastel greens, two of today's most popular colors. These colors are expected to continue their popularity in model-year 2004 with a particular emphasis on cool blues and neutral shades. Browns reminiscent of natural wood and spice tones also are expected to be popular as are natural shades of green.

In addition, use of achromatic colors (for example, whites, grays and blacks) will continue to grow, particularly because of the increasing popularity of metallic gray and liquid silver colors. Achromatic colors traditionally have been less popular in the U.S. than in Europe and Japan, but their popularity in the U.S. has been rising steadily over recent years with grays becoming the most popular achromatic effect color.

Given the continued trend toward special effects in automotive finishes, it is useful to understand how these effects are achieved as well as the properties and characteristics of the pigments involved.

About Effect Pigments

Mica-based automotive colors contain semitransparent mica platelets coated with thin layers of titanium dioxide or iron oxide. Light reflected from the platelets creates a sense of depth and a luster that varies with particle size--smaller particles impart a satin sheen and larger ones a sparkly look. The interaction of light reflected from the upper and lower surfaces of the metal oxide creates color. Some special effect pigments create multi-color play, where color changes with viewing angle. Although these pigments are non-metallic, they can give finishes a metallic look.

Recent advances in effect pigment technology have led to the development of a mica-based pigment that expresses true, two-quadrant color travel. This allows coatings manufacturers to create finishes with exciting special effects that are a cost-effective alternative to multi-quadrant technologies.

Some of these pigments enliven surfaces with color, luster and dimensionality as they express two distinct colors that shift with viewing angle. Other types of mica-based pigments extend the range of absorption colors possible to brown-black shades. They can be used to shade neutral colors, help make gun metals and silvers and add an unusually bright face to dark-shade metallic coatings. They also can be used as black pearl.