How to get the EXACT right color for your prop:

Say you want to make a Ozpin cane from RWBY.  Cool.  A fun prop.  And you want to use spray paint to paint it because you are familiar with spay paint.  It can be easy.  Well 7 cans of spray paint later you can't get the EXACT gray that his cane is.  ARGH.  You are also getting good at sanding paint of the prop.  

So how to get the most exact color possible.  

1. Find a screenshot of your prop.  

2. I do graphic design,  so for me this is easy.  I think MS Paint might do this.  but import the image into a graphic program (cut-n-paste it in).  Use the eye dropper tool to get the RGB value of what you want.  One set of numbers is probably fine.  but if you want to get picky,  you can get multiple pics from multiples places, and average the numbers.

***Warning**** If you are unfamiliar with RGB or stuff like that. That's fine.  Just keep the order of the 3 numbers.  Don't mix them up, don't change the order or it will be ... bad.

3. Take those mystical 3 numbers to EASYRBG.com.  Type them in.  It will tell you want wall paints match that color. The Lowes I was at had Sherwin Williams paint,  so I went with that one. It gave me the top 4.  I found the little swatches of 3 of the 4.  And looked at then against the image on my phone.   

4.  I picked one.  And instead of a giant gallon bucket you can get a little paint can.  Which for most props is probably plenty.  I used foam brushes to apply the paint.  I like foam brushes. a couple coats later and I think the color is a perfect as I can get.

I think it looked pretty good.  Also the gears move.  I should probably make a tutorial for that. Hmmmm.