Blending pearl powder into a base coat or a clear coat placed over the base coat causes a bending of light as it hits the surface of the automobile. This creates a soft glow that enhances the depth of color in the paint when clear ghost pearls are used. Colored candy pearl powder added to the clear coat layer can add depth as well as complexity, forcing a color shift through the translucent pearls before viewing the base color beneath.
Pour 3/4 to 2 tsp of ghost pearl powder into a quart of paint that you intend to use as a base coat. The more powder you add to the paint, the more depth you achieve.
Mix the powder thoroughly into the paint using a wooden paint stick. Test the effects of the pearl powder by painting a sample on plywood. Adjust the amount of powder until you achieve the desired effect. Add more powder to the mix for darker hues of paint.
Use candy pearl material with clear coat paint you intend to place over a base coat. Candy pearl comes in a variety of colors, and will add colored refraction to the base coat. Pour an initial teaspoon of candy coat powder into a quart of clear coat and mix using a wooden paint stick.
Test the clear coat on a plywood sheet that you've painted with the base coat color and allowed to dry. Adjust the look of the clear coat layer by adding more of the translucent candy pearl to refract more light in the clear coat over the still visible base coat beneath.
