| I did quite a lot of research into spraying techniques when I resprayed my lowsided fairings, and I made a good job of it from the point of view that the paint is nice and even, no ripples, runs, drips or orange peel and it's as shiny as the original panels, the paint is applied as well as some 'professional' jobs I've seen. During this whole process I did learn a couple of things.
Trouble is, it's the wrong colour. Even going to the paint factors with the right colour code for 'Ducati Anniversary Red' and with the paint factor making up some custom aerosols to that 'recipe', the colour is too orange. So the lesson is, I can spray quite well...given a better colour match I could have done even better. It's best to find a distributor of PPG paints and find one where they can 'read' the colour of the existing paint - I forget what instrument they use
You should try to use PPG paint since all manufacturers paint systems are different. It's only by using products from the same manufacturers range that you can be sure that they won't react because they're made to be compatible
Paint factors can't sell you twin pack paints with isocyanate hardeners because they'll kill you if you don't have a proper spray booth with extraction fans and proper breathing masks with an air supply (not a B&Q dust mask). So what you'll end up with is an aerosol of acrylic paint.
These paints dry through a combination of solvent evaporation (when they're touch dry) plus oxidisation of the paint solids (so the finish is harder). So they will change colour as they dry. It is very useful if you can obtain the flash drying time and the 'time to tape' (this is the point at which you would be able to put masking tape on the surface and not pull it all off again when you removed the tape) Knowing this time is also useful when it comes to sanding between coats.
The finish on Ducatis is not just paint. It is base coat and lacquer, what you do is spray on a few coats of base coat (sanding between each) then get some 1200 or 1500 wet and dry (used wet) to sand the base coat so that it has a matt finish, then you make it shiny again by lacquering it with several coats - again, sanding as you go.
I also found out that after a bit of experimentation it's not too difficult to wave a spray can around. You can experiment on bits of white card to get the feel of how to apply paint to the required thickness without runs, sags or powdery effects. The basic rules are: 1) Always hold the aerosol at 90 degrees to the painted surface. 2) Keep it moving at a consistent speed 3) Overlap the spray pattern a half at a time. Even when using spray cans which don't have fantastically consistent spray patterns, it's possible to put paint on quite consistently.
The key thing in getting a good finish is not putting paint on, it's how you prepare the surface. Make sure that you sand, and sand and sand again with the appropriate grade of paper 280 grit for rough sanding, 800 grit for surface finishing and 1200-1500 for sanding between coats. Sand in random directions so you don't get any dips or hollows forming. Then make sure every speck of dust is removed by washing it off, degreasing it then finally getting a tack rag and wiping it just before the next coat.
The 'mile deep' paint finish you see on show bikes is the result of lots of coats of paint and lacquer with impecable preparation between each one.
I'm going to try and remember all that as I redo my fairings in the correct colour match - just in time for the next lowside  | 
Jools
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