painting one panel - metalic flake
 

looking into an xjs with a high quality triple flake metallic paint job. (not sure if i have that right. i'm a noob regarding fancy paint.)

anyway, the color is a black metallic. the hood has a stripe down the center. i'm wondering how impossible (or expensive) its going to be to get the hood a single color matching the rest of the car.

should i be just painting the stripe? it matches the creases/bulges in the hood.

or should i get the whole hood done?

will it ever match the rest of the car?

A good tradesman would be able to match the colour pretty close to the body they can always blend the edges then clear the whole bonnet so you wouldn't have that colour difference that would stand out every time you see it. Most shops have spectos these days which is a good aid to the painter.
Personally if I was to paint your bonnet I would spectro it mix and match the colour then paint the center and blend the edges keeping away from the guards then hit clear over the top job done no stress

they should be able to do it basically laying more paint in the middle and feather it out then re clear the whole hood. some colors are easier to match than others.