Someone put a deep 1 inch scratch on my rear bumper. Its just a straight line but you can see the black. Since it is straight I was thinking about taping the surroundings of the scratch with some kind of tape and then with touch up paint I got from a bodyshop I would put some on a soft towel and just apply it to the scratch. After it dries I would put the pearl paint with the clear coat. Does this sound like it should do the job? Mayb put to coats of each to cover the deepness???

 

Why repair paint chips and scratches; to improve the vehicles appearance, to prepare vehicle for lease return, increase retail value and to protect the vehicle from further damage. Chips and scratches aren't just aesthetically unpleasing, the exposed metal underneath may be prone to rusting or additional chipping. Fixing these spots with touch-up paint is an easy step in protecting your investment-

1.Apply isopropyl alcohol (ISP) to a q-tip and dab on the rock chip or scratch a few times.
2.Take a clean towel and dry the paint chip.
3.With a utility knife cut the paint around the edge of the chip, the edge of the paint chip indentation will be slightly higher than the surrounding area and/or the edge of the chipped area may have separated from the metal surface or there could be some wax/dirt in the area or the paint may have oxidized on the edges (it is not absolutely necessary, but it does improve the results and will avoid leaving a dark outline)
4.Angle your blade toward the centre of the chip and press down gently. Work slowly and carefully, removing a small piece at a time, it’s not necessary to remove a lot of material. Clean the area with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) again and allow to dry.
5.With painters masking tape cover the area surrounding the rust spot
6.Use 3000 grit finishing paper and sanding block to remove the rust
7.Use an AutoSharp paint pen (http://www.autosharppen.com) colour matched to your vehicle. The pen itself is very easy to use. You simply shake it, depress the felt tip a few times to start the paint flow, and then begin to "colour" paint into the damaged areas, much like you would highlight a section of text in a book.
8.Do not to try to fix the chip in one application, apply a small amount of paint and allow to dry, repeat over a couple of days. Once the painted area is slightly higher than paint surface, allow to dry.
9.Once completely dry, using 3000 grit finishing paper and sanding block, level touch-up paint with the surrounding paint surface
10.If done correctly, you will hardly notice the repair.
11.Finally apply wax/sealant protection

 

He said he had a scratch on his bumper which is plastic not metal (no rust). The only way for it to look 100% is to have it repaired correctly.

If you must hack a way here is a suggestion. Bonehead is correct with the first step you can use alcohol or pre-cleaner to clean the area. Definitely have someone mix the paint for you (body shop). Use a horse hair brush to apply the paint in the damaged area. Wipe off excess. You will have to apply some, then let it dry, then apply some more. This will build the paint up so that it is even with the undamaged area.

Once the last coat of base coat is dry, apply a couple of layers of clear coat. (you can also get this from the body shop). Once it is totally dry you can wet sand the area flat then buff it. If you do it correctly it will look ok, but not perfect. Good luck.