A method of selecting tints for a colored coating composition is disclosed. The method includes (a) providing a plurality of tints, each tint comprising a pigment dispersed in a resinous carrier binder; (b) preparing a plurality coating composition, each coating compositions comprising a resinous coating binder and at least one of the tints, the total binder content being the amount of carrier binder and coating binder; (c) determining the absorbance of radiation in a wavelength band of each coating composition; (d) identifying coating compositions of step (b) having a maximum weight ratio of pigment to total binder and a maximum amount of resinous carrier binder and exhibiting a minimum absorbance in the wavelength band; and (e) selecting the tints from the coating compositions identified in step (d) for use in preparing a colored coating composition.