The question of what exactly professional car painting is called often confuses not only newcomers to the world of car service, but also experienced drivers who are faced with the need for repairs. In everyday life, this process is often referred to simply as “painting,” however, in the professional environment of a paint and body shop, more precise and capacious terminology is used. The main technical term is color restoration or local restoration of paintwork, which means not just applying color, but recreating the factory characteristics of the coating.
Depending on the scale of the work, the master may offer you spot coloringif only a small area is damaged, or complete repainting assembled bodies. Understanding these differences is critically important, since the final cost of the work and the durability of the result directly depend on the chosen technology. In this article we will look in detail at what the different types of painting are called, what materials are used and how they differ from each other.
It is worth noting that the modern industry offers many options that go beyond standard color restoration. It could be airbrush to create a unique design or apply protective compounds with color pigment. It is necessary to understand this diversity before visiting the service in order to correctly formulate the task for the master.
Basic terminology: what types of work are called
The first thing you will have to deal with when communicating with the receiver is the classification of work by coverage area. The most commonly used term local painting. This is a process in which only the damaged body element, for example, a door or fender, is restored, with mandatory shading (transition) to adjacent parts to hide the color boundary.
If the damage is extensive or the owner wants to completely change the color of the car, apply full coloring. In professional slang, this process may be called “repainting in a circle” or “full cycle”. It involves removing all attachments, completely stripping the old varnish and applying new layers of enamel to the entire body.
⚠️ Attention: The term “full painting” in cheap services sometimes means painting only visible external surfaces without treating openings and interior parts of doors. Always check whether the price includes disassembling the car and painting the ends.
There is also a concept partial coloring, which is often confused with local. The difference is that with partial, half of the element or several scattered areas can be painted without creating a smooth transition, which is only permissible for work areas or hidden cavities. For front panels, this method is considered a defect.
Technologies for applying paints and varnishes
The method of applying paint also has its own names and determines the quality of the finishing layer. The most common method is pneumatic spray painting (with a spray gun). This tool allows you to create a perfectly even layer by controlling the spray pattern and air pressure.
Often used for hard-to-reach places, arches and hidden cavities airless painting or the “anti-gravel” method, when the composition is applied under high pressure without mixing with air, which creates a thicker and more durable film. There is also an electrostatic method, where paint particles are charged and adhere better to the metal, reducing material loss.
- 🎨 Pneumatic spray - a classic method for front surfaces, giving the best appearance.
- 🔫 Airless application — used for soils, anti-corrosion and arch protection.
- ⚡ Electromagnetic method - industrial technology for maximum coverage and paint savings.
The choice of technology depends on the type of enamel used. For example, metallic and pearlescent paints require a clear coat of varnish (2K), while acrylic enamels can be single-layer (1K), although this is rare in auto repair due to low durability.
Decorative types of painting and stylization
When it comes to tuning, the terminology becomes more diverse. Owners often ask what is the name for painting a car in two colors. The correct name for this procedure is two-tone paint or two-ton. This is a complex process that requires careful masking of the boundaries and often involves painting the roof in a contrasting color to the main body.
Another popular request is camouflage painting. Among car painters this is called “camouflage” or “military style”. The technique can be airbrush (drawing by hand) or stencil. There are ready-made vinyl masks that are glued to the body, creating a geometric pattern after painting.
It is worth highlighting airbrushing. This is no longer just a renovation, but the creation of a work of art. Airbrushing can be narrative (images, landscapes) or abstract. For such work, special spray guns with a microscopic nozzle are used, allowing you to draw the finest lines.
Specific effects: matte, chameleon and chrome
Standing apart are coatings that change the visual perception of the surface. Many people know them as "matte paint", but technically this is often satin effect or matte varnish. Matte painting of a car is achieved either by using special matte enamels, or by applying matte varnish over a color base. Such surfaces require special care and cannot be polished in the classical sense.
Effect "chameleon" (or multichrome) is achieved through the use of pigments that change color depending on the viewing angle. This is one of the most complex technologies, requiring a perfectly flat substrate and the skill of the painter, since any defect in the shape will be obvious.
| Coverage type | Features | Difficulty of repair |
|---|---|---|
| Gloss varnish | Classic shine, easy to polish | Low |
| Matte / Satin | No glare, velvety | High (repainting of the element is often required) |
| Chameleon | Play of colors, play | Very high |
| Chrome (liquid) | Mirror effect | Critical (local repair is practically impossible) |
There is also “liquid chrome” - a technology for applying a mirror layer. Despite the name, it is not a metal, but a complex chemical reaction of a silver solution secured with varnish. Such coatings are extremely unstable to chips and scratches.
Preparation process: what determines the name of the service
Often in price lists you can find individual items that are part of the painting process, but are named independently. The key step is primer. If the master says that the element is “in the primer,” this means that primary and secondary primer has been applied to the metal, ready for painting, but not yet colored.
The most important stage influencing the final name of the service is puttying. If the damage is deep, automotive putty is used to restore the geometry. The service may be called “restoring the geometry of an element with subsequent painting.”
☑️ Preparation for painting
Don't forget about anti-corrosion treatment. In some cases, painting arched spaces and thresholds is called “preservation.” For this purpose, special compounds are used, often on a bitumen or wax basis, which can be black or gray in color.
Materials: process chemistry
When understanding what painting is called, one cannot ignore the chemistry of the processes. The basis is auto enamels, which are divided into groups according to the type of binder. The most popular today are polyurethane systems with high hardness and chemical resistance.
The most important component is varnish (clear coat). It is this that protects the color layer from ultraviolet radiation and mechanical influences. The quality of the varnish determines how long the car will maintain its shine. Cheap varnishes quickly become cloudy and yellow.
⚠️ Attention: Never agree to paint with “nitro” paints (nitrocellulol) for external body elements. This is an outdated material that fades quickly, does not have a deep shine and is incompatible with modern polishes.
Also used solvent and hardener. The proportions of their mixing are strictly regulated by the paint manufacturer. Violation of the mixing technology (for example, “by eye”) leads to defects such as shagreen, dullness or swelling of the paint.
What is shagreen?
Shagreen is a polish surface texture that resembles the peel of an orange. Light shagreen is present even on factory cars, but severe bumpiness is considered a paint defect, resulting from improper paint viscosity, poor spraying, or improper drying temperature conditions.
Frequently asked questions about types of painting (FAQ)
What is the difference between local painting and full painting?
Local painting involves restoring color only to the damaged area and transferring to adjacent parts. Full painting means removing all elements and applying a coating to the entire body of the car, which guarantees the absence of discoloration, but is much more expensive.
What is the name of painting when no boundaries are visible?
In a professional environment, this is called “painting with a transition” or “shading”. The master applies paint and varnish in such a way that the boundary between the old and new coating is blurred and becomes invisible to the eye.
Is it possible to make matte paint from gloss?
Yes, it's possible. The procedure is called “matting” or applying matte varnish. However, you cannot simply “matte” glossy paint by polishing - this will damage the layer. It is necessary to apply a special matte finishing layer.
What is painting in your own color?
This is a colloquial expression that means restoring a vehicle to its original paint code color without changing the color to a different color. Usually involves local or complete repairs to the original color scheme.
The main criterion for choosing the type of painting is not only the budget, but also the condition of the body. For older cars with many minor defects, a complete repaint is often not economically feasible; it is better to choose a high-quality local restoration.
Before starting work, always request a computer paint selection. Even if your car is the same color, the pigment may have faded over the years of use, and the new paint will need to be “tinted” (aged) to match the current body color.