A spectrophotometric curve is, in itself, not a description of color. Color depends on the nature of the light incident on the object, on the nature of the object, and on the characteristics of the observer response. Spectrophotometry serves to describe each of these contributing factors in terms of narrow spectral regions, so that changes in the total color can be computed, predicted, or analyzed. This paper will be concerned only with the spectral curve of the object and how this information can be helpful and useful for solving problems encountered in the paint industry. The application of spectrophotometric curve information is valuable for two purposes: (1) the description of color; and (2) the analysis of the nature of the object. Both are analytical in nature. A series of examples of the application of spectrophotometric techniques to specific problems encountered in the paint industry are given.