Arrange the steps of matching a colour by eye in the order a painter carries them out.

1. Judge the target's value against a neutral grey scale
2. Name the hue family the target belongs to
3. Judge how far from neutral the target sits
4. Mix a first approximation from the fewest tubes that can reach it
5. Hold the mixture edge to edge against the target and correct the property that is furthest out

Value first is not a preference: it is the property the eye judges most reliably and the one that cannot be repaired later without disturbing the other two. The final step matters because a colour held apart from its target is always judged wrongly, and edge to edge is the only honest comparison.