A method for forming a multilayer coating film, comprising the steps of applying a color paint (W) to a substrate to form a colored coating film; applying an effect pigment dispersion (X) to the colored coating film, wherein the effect pigment dispersion (X) contains an effect pigment (x2), and the content of the effect pigment (x2) in the effect pigment dispersion (X) is within a range of 15 to 80 parts by mass, based on 100 parts by mass of the total solids content in the effect pigment dispersion (X), to form an effect first base coating film; applying a transparent colored second base paint (Y) containing a color pigment (y2) to form a transparent colored second base coating film; and applying a clear paint (Z) to form a clear coating film, wherein the clear paint (Z) contains a hydroxy-containing acrylic resin (z1) and an aliphatic triisocyanate compound (z2-1) having a molecular weight within a range of 200 to 350.

A method for forming a multilayer coating film, comprising the steps of applying a color paint (W) to a substrate to form a colored coating film; applying an effect pigment dispersion (X) to the colored coating film, wherein the effect pigment dispersion (X) contains an effect pigment (x2), and the content of the effect pigment (x2) in the effect pigment dispersion (X) is within a range of 15 to 80 parts by mass, based on 100 parts by mass of the total solids content in the effect pigment dispersion (X), to form an effect first base coating film; applying a transparent colored second base paint (Y) containing a color pigment (y2) to form a transparent colored second base coating film; and applying a clear paint (Z) to form a clear coating film, wherein the clear paint (Z) contains a hydroxy-containing acrylic resin (z1) and an aliphatic triisocyanate compound (z2-1) having a molecular weight within a range of 200 to 350.

A process for the production of a multi-layer composite comprising applying a coating layer from a pigmented coating composition A onto the back face of a transparent plastic film and then applying an NIR-opaque coating layer from a pigmented coating composition B, wherein the pigment content of coating composition A consists 50 to 100 wt. % of black pigment with low NIR absorption and 0 to 50 wt. % of further pigment, which is selected in such a way that coating layer A′ exhibits low NIR absorption and that the multi-layer composite exhibits a brightness L* of at most 10 units, wherein the pigment content of coating composition B is either a pigment content PC1 consisting 90 to 100 wt. % of aluminum flake pigment and 0 to 10 wt. % of further pigment, which is selected in such a way that NIR-opaque coating layer B′ exhibits low NIR absorption, or a pigment content PC2 comprising <90 wt. % of aluminum flake pigments and being composed in such a way that NIR-opaque coating layer B′ exhibits low NIR absorption, and wherein coating layers A′ and B′ are cured.

Provided is a multilayer coating film comprising a colored base coating film and an effect base coating film formed on the colored base coating film, wherein the hue angle h in the L*C*h color space diagram is within the range of 30° to 70°, and when the following formulas hold: X=[(C*45).sup.2+(C*75) .sup.2].sup.1/2, and Y=[(L*15).sup.2+(C*15).sup.2].sup.1/2+[(L*25).sup.2+(C*25).sup.2].sup.1/2, X is 80 or more and Y is 140 or more; provided that C*15, C*25, C*45, and C*75 represent the chroma of the multilayer coating film when light is illuminated at an angle of 45 degrees and received at angles of 15 degrees, 25 degrees, 45 degrees, and 75 degrees deviated from the specular reflection light in the incident light direction, and L*15 and L*25 similarly represent the lightness of the multilayer coating film.

Provided is a multilayer coating film comprising a colored base coating film and an effect base coating film formed on the colored base coating film, wherein the hue angle h in the L*C*h color space diagram is within the range of 30° to 70°, and when the following formulas hold: X=[(C*45).sup.2+(C*75) .sup.2].sup.1/2, and Y=[(L*15).sup.2+(C*15).sup.2].sup.1/2+[(L*25).sup.2+(C*25).sup.2].sup.1/2, X is 80 or more and Y is 140 or more; provided that C*15, C*25, C*45, and C*75 represent the chroma of the multilayer coating film when light is illuminated at an angle of 45 degrees and received at angles of 15 degrees, 25 degrees, 45 degrees, and 75 degrees deviated from the specular reflection light in the incident light direction, and L*15 and L*25 similarly represent the lightness of the multilayer coating film.

Provided is a method for forming a multilayer coating film that is capable of forming a multilayer coating film that has pearly luster with excellent blackness and high reflectance of an infrared laser. The method for forming a multilayer coating film includes applying a carbon black pigment-containing first colored paint (X) to form a first colored coating film; applying a second colored paint (Y) containing a pigment (A) that is a transparent or translucent base material coated with a metal oxide to form a second colored coating film; applying a clear paint (Z) to form a clear coating film; and heating the first colored coating film, the second colored coating film, and the clear coating film separately or simultaneously to cure these films, wherein the first colored coating film has a lightness L*(45°) of less than 20, the multilayer coating film has a lightness L*(45°) of less than 20, and the multilayer coating film has a diffuse reflectance of 10% or more at a wavelength of 905 nm.

A method for forming a multilayer coating film, sequentially conducting step (1) of applying an aqueous 2-package type first colored paint on both a metal member and a plastic member of an automobile outer panel to form an uncured first colored coating film; step (2) of applying an aqueous 1-package type white paint on the uncured first colored coating film by step (1) to form an uncured white coating film; step (3) of applying an aqueous 1-package type interference color paint on the uncured white coating film by step (2) to form an uncured interference color coating film; step (4) of applying a solvent-based 2-package type clear paint on the uncured interference color coating film by step (3) to form an uncured clear coating film; and step (5) of heating these coating films by steps (1) to (4) at 75 to 100° C. to simultaneously cure them.

A method for forming a multilayer coating film, sequentially conducting step (1) of applying an aqueous 2-package type first colored paint on both a metal member and a plastic member of an automobile outer panel to form an uncured first colored coating film; step (2) of applying an aqueous 1-package type white paint on the uncured first colored coating film by step (1) to form an uncured white coating film; step (3) of applying an aqueous 1-package type interference color paint on the uncured white coating film by step (2) to form an uncured interference color coating film; step (4) of applying a solvent-based 2-package type clear paint on the uncured interference color coating film by step (3) to form an uncured clear coating film; and step (5) of heating these coating films by steps (1) to (4) at 75 to 100° C. to simultaneously cure them.

Provided is a method for forming a multilayer coating film that is capable of forming a multilayer coating film that has pearly luster with excellent blackness and high reflectance of an infrared laser. The method for forming a multilayer coating film includes applying a carbon black pigment-containing first colored paint (X) to form a first colored coating film; applying a second colored paint (Y) containing a pigment (A) that is a transparent or translucent base material coated with a metal oxide to form a second colored coating film; applying a clear paint (Z) to form a clear coating film; and heating the first colored coating film, the second colored coating film, and the clear coating film separately or simultaneously to cure these films, wherein the first colored coating film has a lightness L*(45°) of less than 20, the multilayer coating film has a lightness L*(45°) of less than 20, and the multilayer coating film has a diffuse reflectance of 10% or more at a wavelength of 905 nm.

A laminate containing a metallic base layer and a transparent colored layer formed on the metallic base layer, wherein, when

X=[(C*45).sup.2+(C*75).sup.2)].sup.1/2, and

Y=[(L*15).sup.2+(C*15).sup.2)].sup.1/2+[(L*25).sup.2+(C*25).sup.2)].sup.1/2,

X is 64 or more, and Y is 191 or more; and the measured value of graininess (HG value) is 45 or less,
with the proviso that C*15, C*25, C*45, and C*75 represent chroma calculated from spectral reflectances of light illuminated at an incident angle of 45 degrees with respect to the laminate and received at respective angles of 15 degrees, 25 degrees, 45 degrees, and 75 degrees deviated from the specular reflection light, and that L*15 and L*25 represent lightness calculated from spectral reflectances of light illuminated at an incident angle of 45 degrees with respect to the laminate and received at respective angles of 15 degrees and 25 degrees deviated from the specular reflection light.