Paint multiple colors on a single piece

[Southsider]

If you have a smaller piece, or even the body, whats the best process for painting multiple colors on it? I'm using Acrylics, both handpainting and using a single-action airbrush.

I have some pieces that need two different colors, and I keep messing them up. I waited a few days to tape off on a freshly painted surface, and still that surface (a semi-gloss if that matters) is now messed up. At first it looked as though it may have been some tape residue (using Tamiya masking tape). But after trying to clean it off, it turns out that the shine seems to be taken from the paint. But not in a uniform way like turning the semi-gloss to a flat.

On the body, I painted it and it looked pretty good (first model in 27 years). Then I taped off a couple areas where I needed to put some black down arounf the windows and front wheel well. When I peeled the tape away, turns out I had done a poor job witht he tape and had some bleeed through that I needed to clean, which caused me to have to celan it up and now I have to re-do the body. I don't want to have the same problem now with those black areas, I would like to tape them off before I re-shoot the body. This got me thinking on if I should have done those features first before dong the body color. It really stunk that I messed up the body just because of some details so perhaps I did not follow a standard procedure most of you do.

[JollySipper]

I may can't offer much help, but I'll do my best. First off, you may want to wait about a week before putting any kind of tape on your fresh paint. When you do decide to begin masking, use a low tack painter's tape ( I use Duck brand blue tape from Wal-Mart ) Then be sure to burnish down the edges really good before applying a second color.

[crazyjim]

Switch to HOK paints and use inter-coat clear between colors.