How does spray paint work on a car?

Spray paint is facilitated by passing paint through a nozzle that will break up the paint into particles that can be sprayed onto the surface being painted.

The paint is pushed to the nozzle by either hydraulic pressure or by air pressure depending on viscosity. On a hydraulic, or airless sprayer, the fan is formed by the tip itself with a tip only allowing a single fan width and volume. Air spray guns have adjustments to allow for more or less material volume and varying spray widths without having to change out parts of the gun.

Pertaining to static electricity: Spray paint works through a process called electrostatic spray painting. The nozzle of the container is negatively charged, and the target is positively charged. Therefore, when the paint is sprayed out through the nozzle, it becomes negatively charged, and is attracted to the positive target, resulting in a paint job that saves paint, gives a smooth surface, and speeds drying.