The rate at which wicking occurs is the controlling factor in the final look of the painted surface. When touching up a wall, realize that the paint will wick at a different rate than the original top coat. Reproducing the exact wicking rates each time you paint is virtually impossible, but you can try to influence it.
Take the two empty cans back to the store and ask them for a refund or replacement. Most big box stores offer satisfaction guarantees and will replace mismatched paint; the policy is designed for situations like what you're describing.
Paint touch-ups usually look darker because there is less moisture (and therefore more pigment) in the touch-up paint than the original paint coat. Less moisture in the paint will mean that the evaporation and wicking will happen at a different rate than the original coat of paint which will cause color differences.
Use Mineral Spirits. Mineral spirits are solvents that remove paint from many surfaces including your car. Many at-home DIYers use mineral spirits to remove dried paint from a touch up job that didn't go as planned. Mineral spirits effectively thin and remove paint and work well on your car when used carefully.
Maybe your touch up bucket is contaminated. If you get a new one and it's close. Use your mini roller to blend it in. Keep the paint thicker in the middle and roll outward and lift up as you do this in 360° around the spot to fade or blend the old to the new. This will only work if your new paint is closer.
Use of different methods of application (e.g., using a brush to touch up paint that was sprayed on). Application over surfaces of differing porosity; for example, applying a satin paint to unprimed (porous) wallboard will result in a lower sheen than will develop with the same paint applied to itself when touching up.
Using a paintbrush, start at the center of the touch-up and slowly move outward. Lightly extend the tip of the brush just beyond the area you're touching up to seamlessly blend the touched up area with the original painted area.
The main problem is that wicking will not occur at the same rate on a touch-up job versus the wicking rate of the original top coat. It is virtually impossible to reproduce the exact wicking rate, and this is why a touch-up job will often appear as a slightly different color than the original paint.
The real trick to making your touch up repairs invisible comes 2-3 days after the colour and clear coats have been applied. Get a bottle of low-grit rubbing compound and carefully work a small dab over the repair area with a microfibre cloth to smooth out the paint bump.
Alkyd paints are shinier and may take from a week to a month after touch-up to blend with the original paint coat. Latex paints touch up easier, regardless of the gloss level, but can still take several days to blend with the original color.
The number one reason paint looks different on the wall is lighting. Natural daylight brings out the truest color, while incandescent lighting can warm up tones, and fluorescent lighting can cast a cool glow. Always consider the primary light source in your room when choosing a paint color.
Science helps to explain why colors seen at a paint store or on a paint chip can look so different at home. The size of a color sample, the lighting in which you view it, and the colors of other walls and objects nearby all have an effect, Fairchild said. “The two big issues are lighting and context,” he said.
Either use the manufacturer's website or call your selling dealer to retrieve the paint code using the VIN. Once you have the paint code, you can find the right match for your vehicle at AutoZone with ease. Or, if you know the color description rather than the paint code, you can search that way.
Without primer, the touched-up spot will stand out, and it'll look a right mess. The trick is to blend the new paint with the original surface. Priming will also prep your surface for paint and seal any stains - especially those that wouldn't come off.
Apply the paint in thin layers until it gets to just below the level of the surrounding clear coat. Leave up to 30 minutes between coats. Now it's time to apply the clear coat so that it is just a bit above the surrounding area, leaving the job to dry for about a day.
TIP: Avoid using a rubbing compound for new car paintwork restoration. Ensure to only use it after less aggressive products have been tested first, such as Turtle Wax Scratch Repair & Renew.
Why it happens: Uneven or blotchy paint occurs when you've either skipped priming or not adequately primed your wall before painting. This can also result from not applying enough coats of paint to get a uniform finish.
Wall patch tends to soak up a LOT of paint, much more so than the existing paint on the wall. Because of this, a small area of patching can stand out like a sore thumb. You can minimize this by priming in the patched area with a primer so it comes closer to matching the rest of the wall.
Use a roller, if possible — A roller will give you better quality and blending than a brush. The preferred roller is a "weenie" roller with a good, quality synthetic cover. Choose a nap thickness of ¼ - to ½ inch. Use less paint — When loading the roller, use the least amount of paint necessary.
Typically, touch-up coats will be lighter in color if they are applied when the temperature is 10 degrees cooler than the initial application. If the reverse is true, the touch-up coat will appear darker. Color differences with warmer temperatures—over 60 degrees—are less predictable.
Prime the Area
Applying a light coat of interior-grade latex primer can help the touch-up paint blend into the surrounding wall, and will promote better paint adhesion. Use a small brush to prime the area you prepped in the previous step and be careful not to paint too far past the area you're touching up.
Using a roller will help you to apply the new paint evenly, and it will blend in with the existing paint better.