Auto painting is a great career for anyone who is looking to merge their mechanical and creative aptitudes. It takes a steady hand and a good eye, but those with the skills to succeed in this job can look forward to steady and satisfying work.
Automotive painters might touch-up or reapply colour after an auto body technician has completed their repairs on a damaged car, or they might do custom work for clients who want a new look. Either way, the job involves preparing work surfaces for painting by filing or sanding, matching colours, and mixing, blending, and applying paint, most often with a spray gun. It’s a multistep process that rewards those with patience and a good sense of craftsmanship.
If you’re looking for a new career opportunity, here are five traits that make you perfect for a career in auto painting.
You Like Working With Hand and Power Tools
Like most jobs in the automotive industry, painters work extensively with hand and power tools. The most common tools they use on a daily basis are sanders and spray guns, though other tools could be involved depending on the particular work being done. Some workplaces also use computers and specialized software for things like computerized paint reading, generating paint or tint formulas, or creating and printing custom decals and graphics. If you have an aptitude to work with tools and are comfortable learning and using new software applications, then automotive painting could be a great career for you.
Attention to Detail Is a Key Skill for Auto Painters
As they prepare metal surfaces and apply primers, paints, enamels, and urethanes, painters need to be mindful of even the smallest defects in a paintjob or an undercoat and be able to work patiently with fine details. If you gain satisfaction from doing meticulous or precise work, then a career as an automotive painter or an auto refinishing prep technician could be right for you.
Manual Dexterity Is Important in Auto Painting Careers
As most of the work is done by hand, good manual dexterity is an important trait in auto painting careers. A steady grip and good hand-eye coordination will go a long way. Being in good physical shape is important as well, as auto painting can require long periods of standing, crouching, bending, or kneeling.
You Have an Eye for Colour
To be a great automotive painter, you need to have a great eye for colour. If you can tell the difference between subtle differences in tint, then automotive painting might be for you. Car companies have put out vehicles in tens of thousands of colours over the years, and even cars painted the same colour on the factory floor might look different after a decade or more of varying conditions, so painters need to have a keen eye to be able to accurately identify and replicate every colour they see. Blending and matching is a big part of the job, and this is where a lot of the creativity and artistry comes in, particularly for custom or specialized paint jobs.
Do you want to train for a career in the automotive industry?
Contact Automotive Training Centres for more information about our car painting courses.
