Two-Tone Car Paint Ideas
by Jenny Carver
Two-tone car paint schemes have been around for decades. Factory paint jobs have included two-tone paint schemes on both trucks and cars. Many custom-car enthusiasts like two-tone paint jobs because they can express their creativity without having to pay for an expensive paint job with graphics.
Two-Tone Paint with Hard Lines
Most two-tone paint jobs are made up of one solid color on the top two-thirds of the vehicle and a solid neutral on the lower portion of the vehicle. Some cars swap that design, with the lower two-thirds being one color and the very top portion being a different color. Depending on the body lines on your vehicle, the line between the two colors can be placed anywhere. Vehicles with a prominent body line can have the colors start on each side of the line. Start the colors about 5 inches above or below the body line to make it really stand out. The area where the two colors meet can be done many different ways. You can simply let the two colors meet or you can add a pinstripe on top of the joining lines. Another way to join the colors is to paint a third color as a small stripe on top of the two colors. Many custom two-tone paint jobs include a small painted stripe with a small design near the front or rear of the car.
Two Tone Fade
Many GM trucks were painted with two-tone faded paint schemes during the '90s. Automotive enthusiasts have used the two-tone faded paint scheme since the first days of the hot rod. Most faded paint jobs have a color starting at the top and taking up two thirds of the vehicle, while the bottom is finished with a different color, much like a regular hard-line two-tone job. The difference in a faded paint job is there are no lines where the colors meet. The two colors are blended to make a haze or fuzzy "line" around the vehicle. Sometimes a third color is added to the faded area to make it stand out a bit more.
Pearls
A very different type of two-tone paint job is accomplished with pearl paint and is not as common on everyday vehicles but can be seen on many custom cars at auto shows. A pearl paint is used on top of a regular paint job. If your car is painted a solid color of red, you can add a purple pearl to the clear coat before spraying it onto the car. Once dried, the car looks red, but in certain light you can clearly see the purple "shine" on top of the red. You can use almost any color combination, but pearls are best used on a very different color to be noticeable. White vehicles can use any color pearl to really stand out.
Writer Bio
Since 1997 Jenny Carver has served as editor and freelance writer for many offline and online publications including lovetoknow.com, autotropolis.com, "Hoof Beat News," "Import Tuner" and others. Carver owns a custom automotive shop where she has been doing paint and body work, custom interior work and engine building for over 11 years.
