Anyone good with mixing colors (paint)?

[Shadow]

I'm trying to figure out how to create a gunmetal gray color (or maybe a bit darker than typical gunmetal gray) out of basic paint colors. Conventional wisdom says that I should mix black and white to create gray. But I'm not sure if I should mix silver and black instead. I'm thinking that adding a small amount of black paint (maybe 20%) to a can of silver might be a better option.

Anyone have any experience mixing paint colors? If so, am I on the right track? I realize this is a strange question, but I've read a few articles online and I can't find a definitive answer.

[ClutchFork]

I know a guy who is a chemist and spent his career working for paint companies, PPG and BASF, among others. He would likely know. I won't see him until September, but maybe I can find his email.

EDIT: found an address and sent your post to him. Hopefully he checks his email regularly. BTW, what are you going to paint?

[ClutchFork]

Here ya go. This was in response to your exact words as posted above:

Your friend is right. Mixing black and white will give a gray color, but it will lack the luster of a gun metal gray. Adding a metallic pigment is what you need. There are some dull metallic flakes that I would recommend. They don't have much sparkle and with a little tinting, you should be able to achieve the effect. A typical silver metallic is probably too bright and would be too reflective, even after adding black tint.

Hope this helps. I'll relay any further questions too.

[Shadow]

Here ya go. This was in response to your exact words as posted above:

Your friend is right. Mixing black and white will give a gray color, but it will lack the luster of a gun metal gray. Adding a metallic pigment is what you need. There are some dull metallic flakes that I would recommend. They don't have much sparkle and with a little tinting, you should be able to achieve the effect. A typical silver metallic is probably too bright and would be too reflective, even after adding black tint.

Hope this helps. I'll relay any further questions too.

Okay, great info. But what would happen if I took black paint and slowly added silver to it? If he's saying that adding black to silver wouldn't work well, I'm thinking of going the opposite direction instead. Actually, now I'm curious to know what would happen if I mixed silver and black in a 50:50 ratio.

[ClutchFork]

Well I shot the last question to him late Wednesday and no response. I think you maybe should do some bench tests of color mixing.

[Squint]

Well I shot the last question to him late Wednesday and no response. I think you maybe should do some bench tests of color mixing.

That's the old fashioned way. Before the internet.

[ClutchFork]

He says

Adding the silver to the black is the way to go. If it's a bright silver, it will turn out to be a charcoal metallic color. If it's a dull metallic flake it will look more like a gun metal color. My guess is he will need to add a little white as well. Be careful adding white. A little goes a long way.

I think the key to the color is the choice of the metallic flake. Most people think of a bright silver when they think of metallic flakes. But there are some dull metallic flakes available which would be my choice. It's kind of fun to experiment with pigments and colors. I would advise him to bench test some ratios and have some fun doing it.

[six]

I <3 experts