What's Your CQ?
Color Quotient, that is. Take our quiz and test your knowledge.
1. To make a small room appear larger, you can recommend:
A) Painting walls with dark colors
B) Painting walls with light colors
C) Painting ceilings white
D) A complete remodel
2. Dark accent colors:
A) Provide an illusion of intimacy or coziness
B) Are good for accenting attractive or decorative architectural features
C) Make a room seem smaller
D) All of the above
3. Bright whites create the illusion that adjacent colors are:
A) Lighter
B) Darker
C) Have no impact on adjacent colors
4. Whites are often used on ceilings because:
A) Designers lack imagination
B) White creates a sense of openness
C) White makes the ceiling seem higher
5. On exteriors, which color is more likely to fade faster?
A) Red
B) Blue
C) Green
D) White
6. If the exterior paint color has faded, that means the protective quality of the paint has been compromised as well.
True or false?
7. The quality of light varies in different geographic regions.
True or false?
8. LRV stands for:
A) Light Refraction Value
B) Light Reflective Value
C) Low Rider Vehicle
9. Which paint sheen reflects the most light?
A) Flat
B) Satin
C) Semi-gloss
10. Which of the following is considered a "warm" color?
A) Green
B) Yellow
C) Black
D) White
11. Which of the following is NOT considered a "cool" color?
A) Gray
B) Blue
C) Red
D) Green
12. If you are using a deep accent color, the best primer color to use is:
A) White
B) The same color as your topcoat
C) White with a slight tint of the topcoat color
D) Gray
13. Which type of lighting is the standard for color matching?
A) Incandescent
B) Halogen
C) Fluorescent
D) Daylight
14. Which source of artificial light is the LEAST distorting to paint color?
A) Incandescent
B) Halogen
C) Fluorescent
D) Candle
15. Incandescent lighting casts which kind of tone to the color of the paint:
A) Green
B) Yellow
C) Amber
D) Blue
Answers:
1. B & C. Because they are less assertive visually, light and pale colors create a sense of openness, or an impression that the space is larger than it actually is. This is one reason why whites are so often used on ceilings.
2. D. Deep, intense colors — sometimes called accent colors — create a visual perception that walls and ceilings are closer than they really are. That makes rooms seem smaller and cozier. Dramatic colors also "pull the eye," so when used to accent architectural features such as a window, will help make it a focal point in the room.
3. B. Colors generally appear darker when next to bright whites.
4. B & C. Since bright whites also create the illusion that adjacent colors are darker, they may not always be the best ceiling color choice. Creamy off-whites — or whites tinted with just a touch of the wall color — may bring more harmony to the room.
5. A. Reds and yellows can have the potential to fade more quickly than other colors. Some advanced paints, such as Sherwin-Williams Exterior Accents Latex, help minimize the problem by using color bases that are specially formulated to maintain color.
6. False. Some color changes are paint related, while others are substrate related. Color change does not mean that the protective quality of the paint film has been altered.
7. True. This may influence your choice of exterior colors. Clean brights and midtones, for example, work well in sunny, southern climates where the sun is closer and the natural light is more intense. Earthy neutrals and less-saturated deep colors are more at home in northern regions, where skies are grayer and can add "cool" casts to the ambient light.
8. B. Light reflective value measures the reflection from painted surfaces that causes them to act as a secondary light source. For example, you may want to choose a color with high LRV in a room that has a low amount of natural light. LRVs are listed on the back of each color strip.
9. C. Color appears differently depending on the sheen of the paint. Rule of thumb: The higher the sheen, the more light that reflects off the surface. That means that a deep color will look richer in a gloss or satin sheen than in a flat sheen. When choosing a sheen, also keep in mind that higher gloss sheens will also increase glare and the visibility of surface defects.
10. B. Colors can be categorized as "warm" or "cool." Warm shades, like yellows, browns and reds, are considered cheerful, sunny colors. That can make them good choices for rooms in which your customer desires a pleasant, upbeat atmosphere.
11. C. Cool colors, such as the grays, blues and greens found in nature, are perceived as restful and calming. That makes them popular color choices in rooms where it's desirable to create a relaxed environment. Cool shades tend to make walls recede, giving the sensation of more space, and can also be perceived as making the room temperature "feel" cooler.
12. D. Extensive research has shown that gray tints offer the truest color accuracy for deep accent colors. Sherwin-Williams Color-Prime System of gray scale primers was developed through an exhaustive process of applying topcoat colors over a broad spectrum of shaded primers. Gray shades were selected due to their ability to provide good hiding characteristics and a synergistic effect with bold accent colors. The result is more accurate, superior color development with fewer top coats.
13. D. Natural, or daylight, lighting is the standard for color matching.
14. B. Bright white halogens are closest to natural daylight illumination. Even halogens, though, can "cool" colors a bit.
15. B & C. Incandescent - the traditional "light bulb" lighting - casts warm, yellow or amber tones, and can intensify wall color. Traditional fluorescents bring out cool tones and green casts. Newer "warm" fluorescents add warm casts, though not as richly as incandescents.
How Do You Rate?
Give yourself 1 point for each correct answer. If your score is...
12-15: Congratulations! You could be the Van Gogh of the Painting Contracting Industry. Next time we need a color consultant, can we give you a call?
8-11: Impressive. You're well on your way to becoming a color expert, and your color skills are already making you more valuable in the eyes of your customers. Keep up the good work — with a little more homework and experience, you'll be the painter that customers think of first when they have color questions.
0-7: You may know paint, but color is not your strong point...yet. The good news is that all the color resources you need are just down the street at your local Sherwin-Williams store. Partner up with their friendly, knowledgeable professionals, and before long you'll have the kind of color expertise customers appreciate from painting contractors.
