Auto Air Candy Colors are true candy colors. Candy Colors are transparent, brilliant colors that allow the underlying coat to interact with the light passing through the candy color. Use Candy Colors over 4100 Series Aluminum Bases. Candy Colors may also be used over Pearlized, Iridescent, Metallic, Cosmic, or Hot Rod Sparkle Colors for candy effects. Candy Colors may be intermixed with one another for custom candy blends. Although the Candy Colors are used as a base coat color, they are dye-based and special considerations need to be made when using them as opposed to the regular base coat paints. Candy Colors will have a tact-like feel even after they have cured. The Candy Colors are sensitive and can not be manipulated as easily as the other colors. If taping or masking is to be done on top of the Candy colors, it is best to first apply a coat of clear onto the Candy Colors to prevent marks & blemishes and otherwise protect the colors. If a paintjob done with Candy Colors is to be left alone for a prolonged period prior to clear coating, a coat of clear should be applied to protect the colors from picking up dust and dirt. As the Candy Colors are sensitive and prone to blemishes when touched, a coat of clear will prevent any markings that could occur when attempting to clean. Please note: The Candy Colors will not look good until the clear is applied. The clear’s gloss will bring to life the Candy Colors. The Candy Colors are more difficult to spray than other Auto Air Colors. It is best to work in very light coats. Light coats will avoid unwanted buildup and blotches of color and prevent crawling, which may happen as the Candy Colors are very thin colors. Often, 8 or more coats will be applied to achieve the desired color. Bleeding is an issue if the colors are not completely cured prior to clearing. It may be best to lock up the Candy Colors with the first tact coat. Allow the first coat about 15 minutes or so to flash before putting on the next coat. The clear’s catalyzing will prevent the candy colors from bleeding into the next coat(s) of clear, which could happen when wet coats are quickly applied onto one another on top of a coat of candy that has not completely cured. The candy colors’ dye crawling does not always occur, it is more likely to happen in humid conditions when moisture rests on the candy as the clear is applied. Tip: Heating the surface before the Candy Colors are applied will prevent any crawling or spidering. The Candy Colors are thinner than other colors series and are highly reflective which allows for a lot of light to be redirected through the Candy Colors. For an added effect, lightly dust on a coat of the 4300 Series Pearl White, Metallic White or the 4500 Series Sparkle White onto the Aluminum Base after it has been heat cured but before the Candy Colors are applied. The light dust coat will not be built-up enough to stop the light from reflecting off the Aluminum Base but will create a shimmering effect that pops in the sun, adding a new dimension to the Candy Color. This can also be achieved by lightly dusting on a coat in between coats of the Candy Color. Series 4100 Aluminum Bases are the traditional bases for the Candy Colors. Other 4300 and 4500 Series Colors can be used and keyed with the Candy Color depending upon the color. For more pronounced, glimmering Candy Colors, use the 4300 and 4500 Series Colors directly as the base for the Candy Color. The 4500 Series Hot Rod Sparkle White is a killer base for the Candy Colors. The Hot Rod Sparkle White will shimmer and glisten through the Candy Color and allow the natural Candy Color to be seen, as opposed to tinting the Candy Color with, for example, Hot Rod Sparkle Purple. The 4400 Series Hi-Lite Interference Colors can also be used the same as above onto the Aluminum Base to create subtle color-shifting effects that are caught in the sun. The Hi-Lite Interference Colors can also be applied in between coats of the Candy Colors. Make sure the underlying coat of Candy Color has been cured with heat, otherwise the Hi-Lite Interference Color will reactivate the Candy Color and cause bleed-through. We have done our best to represent the actual colour, however the with these items it is just not possible to display the actual colour.