Testing Paint Colors

Are you reading this post because your walls look like this? More often than not, this is what I see when I enter a home for a color consultation.

Or this.

Or this.

The paint manufacturers know what they’re doing with their sample kits. Yes, they offer a chance to sample paint at a fraction of the cost of a gallon, but maybe they are preying on the whims and insecurities of the color challenged. At five or six dollars a pop, when I add up all the colors sampled on these individual walls, it almost surpasses the fees of a seasoned color consultant -someone who sees the undertones of a given hue, understands the nature of light, but also can pinpoint the direction the client wants to go whether it be by consciously asking the right questions or by sheer intuition.

Sampling paint in the above pictorial illustrations is the WORST way to go about it. Color interacts with its neighbor and you’re not going to get an accurate read this way. It is crucial to isolate it while painting a very large swath of color, not just a 12” square. And you should live with it for a couple of days. This way you can experience the hue under different lighting conditions. Look at it out of the corner of your eye. This is a great trick I learned from former painting teacher, Bill Elston, a master of realist painting who is spot on with seeing accurate color. You’ll know it, when it’s right.

Another approach I advocate is painting on poster board. Hold the board vertically, at arm’s length to view only this color in front of your face and no other competing elements. Plus, you can move it around the room.

I hope this helps. If not, please contact me. 206-353-0454 ebrown@eb-color.com

EB Color Consultants