The present invention relates to a method for determining the composition of a multi-layer system showing a predetermined colour flip-flop effect, wherein the multi-layer system comprises from bottom to top a) a substrate, b) at least one first colour layer containing a colourant, which is arranged on the substrate a), c) on the at least one first colour layer an effect layer containing at least one platelet-shaped effect pigment, and d) on the effect layer c) at least one second colour layer containing a colourant, wherein each of the at least one first colour layer and of the at least one second colour layer contains a colourant being no platelet-shaped effect pigment, wherein the method comprises the following steps: i) specifying a first target value for the colour shade and/or colour brightness of the top side of the multi-layer system seen at a first observation angle, ii) specifying a second target value for the colour shade and/or colour brightness of the top side of the multi-layer system seen at a second observation angle, wherein the second observation angle is different from the first observation angle, and wherein the second target value is different from the first target value, iii) specifying a colourant system comprising at least one colourant and further comprising one effect pigment layer recipe being suitable for forming the effect layer c), iv) providing at least one empirical model of the relationship between the colour shades and/or colour brightness at least two different observation angles comprising at least the first observation angle and the second observation angle specified in step ii) of the top side of a first number of multi-layer systems, at least 90% of which comprising at least one first colour layer b) having at least one colourant as specified in step iii), at least one second colour layer d) having at least one colourant as specified in step iii) and an effect layer c) made of the effect pigment layer recipe specified in step iii), and v) determining—making use of the at least one empirical model provided in step iv)—the composition of a multi-layer system (10) having within a predetermined tolerance the first target value specified in step i) and the second target value specified in step ii), or, if none is found, specifying a new tolerance for the first target value specified in step i) and/or the second target value specified in step ii), or specifying in steps i) and ii) a new first target value and/or new the second target value, or repeating the method by specifying in step iii) a different colourant system, which preferably covers more different colourants than the colourant system used before, wherei

Provided is a method for forming a multilayer coating film, comprising simultaneously curing an uncured base coating film, an uncured effect coating film, and an uncured clear coating film. In this method, an effect pigment dispersion (Y) contains water, a rheology control agent (A), and a flake-effect pigment (B), and has a solids content of 0.5 to 10 mass %; the flake-effect pigment (B) is an interference pigment in which a transparent or translucent base material is coated with a metal oxide; and the flake-effect pigment (B) is contained in an amount of 30 to 90 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the total solids content in the effect pigment dispersion (Y).

Provided is a method for forming a multilayer coating film, comprising simultaneously curing an uncured base coating film, an uncured effect coating film, and an uncured clear coating film. In this method, an effect pigment dispersion (Y) contains water, a rheology control agent (A), and a flake-effect pigment (B), and has a solids content of 0.5 to 10 mass %; the flake-effect pigment (B) is an interference pigment in which a transparent or translucent base material is coated with a metal oxide; and the flake-effect pigment (B) is contained in an amount of 30 to 90 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the total solids content in the effect pigment dispersion (Y).

The present invention relates to a glitter comprising a foil coated with metal pigments, more particularly aluminium pigments, to a method for producing it, to the use thereof in cosmetic products, coating materials such as paints, varnishes and printing inks, for example, and in adhesives and modelling and/or moulding compositions, and also to cosmetic products, coating materials and adhesives, and modelling and/or moulding compositions which comprise the glitter.

Provided is an aqueous coating composition capable of forming a coating film having superior metallic coating film appearance and coating film properties and reducing the amount of an organic solvent to be used. Also provided is a method for forming a metallic coating film using such an aqueous coating composition. Provided is an aqueous coating composition comprising a coating film-forming resin, a curing agent, a scaly pigment, an inorganic viscosity agent, a hydrophobic associative viscosity agent, and a dispersant, wherein the composition contains the inorganic viscosity agent in an amount of 1 to 7 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the total resin solid content of the coating film-forming resin and the curing agent, and the composition contains the hydrophobic associative viscosity agent in an amount of 1 to 15 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the total resin solid content of the coating film-forming resin and the curing agent.

Provided is an aqueous coating composition capable of forming a coating film having superior metallic coating film appearance and coating film properties and reducing the amount of an organic solvent to be used. Also provided is a method for forming a metallic coating film using such an aqueous coating composition. Provided is an aqueous coating composition comprising a coating film-forming resin, a curing agent, a scaly pigment, an inorganic viscosity agent, a hydrophobic associative viscosity agent, and a dispersant, wherein the composition contains the inorganic viscosity agent in an amount of 1 to 7 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the total resin solid content of the coating film-forming resin and the curing agent, and the composition contains the hydrophobic associative viscosity agent in an amount of 1 to 15 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the total resin solid content of the coating film-forming resin and the curing agent.

Described herein is a mixer system for producing aqueous coating materials from at least one aqueous pigment paste A, including at least one effect pigment, and at least one pigment-free component B, including an aqueous, acrylate-based microgel dispersion having a glass transition temperature T.sub.g of 50 to 60° C., where both the aqueous pigment paste A and the component B each have a VOC value of less than or equal to 250 g/L. Further described herein is a method for producing aqueous coating materials having a VOC content of 0 to 250 g/L, in which the individual components A and B are stored separately and not mixed until shortly before application, to give the aqueous coating material. Further described herein is a method of using the mixer system of for producing aqueous coating materials for refinishing and/or for coating automobile bodies and/or plastics parts.

Described herein is a mixer system for producing aqueous coating materials from at least one aqueous pigment paste A, including at least one effect pigment, and at least one pigment-free component B, including an aqueous, acrylate-based microgel dispersion having a glass transition temperature T.sub.g of 50 to 60° C., where both the aqueous pigment paste A and the component B each have a VOC value of less than or equal to 250 g/L. Further described herein is a method for producing aqueous coating materials having a VOC content of 0 to 250 g/L, in which the individual components A and B are stored separately and not mixed until shortly before application, to give the aqueous coating material. Further described herein is a method of using the mixer system of for producing aqueous coating materials for refinishing and/or for coating automobile bodies and/or plastics parts.

A multilayer coating film forming method to form a multilayer coating film having a glittering appearance. Forming a multilayer coating film by sequentially applying, on top of a base material, a first base coating material, a second base coating material, and a clear coating material in a wet-on-wet process, wherein: the first base coating material is a transparent or colored coating material; the second coating material contains a flaky lustrous pigment; the amount of flaky lustrous pigment being 10-60 parts by mass to 100 parts by mass of resin solid content in the second base coating material, and the concentration of solids in the coating falls being 5-20 mass % with respect to the total mass of the second base coating material; and the thickness of a coating film obtained from the second base coating material falls being 1-8 μm on the basis of the coating film when cured.

A multilayer coating film forming method to form a multilayer coating film having a glittering appearance. Forming a multilayer coating film by sequentially applying, on top of a base material, a first base coating material, a second base coating material, and a clear coating material in a wet-on-wet process, wherein: the first base coating material is a transparent or colored coating material; the second coating material contains a flaky lustrous pigment; the amount of flaky lustrous pigment being 10-60 parts by mass to 100 parts by mass of resin solid content in the second base coating material, and the concentration of solids in the coating falls being 5-20 mass % with respect to the total mass of the second base coating material; and the thickness of a coating film obtained from the second base coating material falls being 1-8 μm on the basis of the coating film when cured.