A Can of Paint
| "A Can of Paint" | |
|---|---|
| Short story by A. E. van Vogt | |
Cover of Astounding, September 1944 | |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Publication | |
| Published in | Astounding SF |
| Publication type | Periodical |
| Media type | Magazine, paperback |
| Publication date | September 1944 |
A Can of Paint is a science fiction short story by Canadian-American writer A. E. van Vogt, originally published in Astounding in 1944. It is a light-hearted look at the first crewed mission to Venus, a "science puzzle" or "problem story" that requires the protagonist to think his way out of a thorny situation. Included in several anthologies, it was also made into a short film in 2004.