A decorated article includes a substrate, a decorative layer and a base layer. The decorative layer contains a particle component. The base layer is disposed between the substrate and the decorative layer, and the base layer has a covered portion covered by the decorative layer and a peripheral portion disposed on a peripheral edge of the covered portion.

A plumbing fixture having a multi-color appearance includes a first portion including a first finish having a first appearance and a second portion including a second portion having a second appearance that differs from the first appearance. The plumbing fixture further includes a transition region between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the appearance of the third region is graduated from the first appearance to the second appearance between a first end of the transition region adjacent the first portion and a second end of the transition region adjacent the second portion. The plumbing fixture has an ombre appearance as a result of the graduated transition between the first portion and the second portion.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a multilayer coating film which makes it possible to form a multilayer coating film having excellent metallic mottling resistance. The method for forming a multilayer coating film comprises: (1) a step for applying a first aqueous coating material (P1) on an object to be coated to form a first coating film; (2) a step for applying a second aqueous colored coating material (P2) on the first coating film to form a second colored coating film that contains a binder component (A.sub.P2) and lustrous pigment (B.sub.P2); (3) a step for applying a clear-coat coating material (P3) on the second colored coating film to form a clear-coat coating film; and (4) a step for heating a multilayer coating film that includes the first coating film, the second colored coating film, and the clear-coat coating film so as to cure the multilayer coating film all at once. The first aqueous coating material (P1) contains a compound (A) containing a hydroxyl group and an acid group and that has an acid value of from 50 to 150 mg KOH/g, a hydroxyl value of from 100 to 300 mg KOH/g, and a weight-average molecular weight of from 500 to 8000, a film-forming resin (B), and a crosslinking agent (C).

An automobile body includes an article to be coated and a multilayer coating film. The multilayer coating film includes: a colored coating film formed on the article to be coated and containing a white pigment; a glitter coating film formed on the colored coating film and containing a glitter pigment; and a clear coating film formed on the glitter coating film. A lightness L*45 based on a spectral reflectance attained when light I.sub.45 applied at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to a surface of the multilayer coating film is received at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to regularly-reflected light is 70 or more and 90 or less.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a multilayer coating film, the method including sequentially applying a base coating, a glitter pigment dispersion, and a two-component clear coating on or above an electrodeposition coating film and then simultaneously curing these three coating films, in which the glitter pigment dispersion includes an aluminum flake pigment, titanium oxide, a hydroxy group-containing acrylic resin, a viscosity modifier, and water, a content of the titanium oxide is 10 mass % to 20 mass % of a total solid content of the glitter pigment dispersion, and a mass ratio of the aluminum flake pigment/the titanium oxide is 0.8 to 1.2.

An alloy wheel is formed having a three dimensional configuration defining a face and recessed surfaces. The face of the wheel is machined providing a smooth surface at the face and defining an edge between the smooth surface of the face and the recessed surfaces. A nozzle element for projecting a plasma jet toward the wheel is provided. The plasma jet is projected toward the smooth surface of the face, the edge, and toward at least a portion of the recessed surfaces forming an alloy oxide at least on the face and the edge disposed between the face and the recessed surfaces. A first polymeric coating is applied over the face, the recessed surfaces and the edge disposed between the face and the recessed surfaces.