Need some painting tips..

[abacall]

I wanted to change the look of the Fizz so I started looking into painting some bits.
I got some Rustoleum Satin Black (semi gloss), and painted the radiator plates and side pods. The plates came out fantastic. However, the pods, not so much.
I had two problems. The paint has a bit of a splotchy look, in the light it doesn't look even. And the place where the sticker used to be, there's a gloss. There are also little bumps in the paint...
I did sand the surface before I painted, but didn't use primer or a sealant.
Would priming the surface get rid of the glossy area and get a more even look to the paint? Would a sealant help? The only reason I don't want the sealant is that I like the semi-flat look....
Any tips on how to enclose the pods so that dust doesn't settle on them while drying?
Oh yeah, I have another paint project coming up (I'll show it when it's done) and I'd really like to get it right the first time.

 

[necrotimus]

Did you sand and clean them enough before you painted? Make sure when you are painting there is no wind. And prepare to do multiple coats. If you try to get it all at once then the paint will apply and dry uneven. It is best to get a nice light even coat each time and repeat.

I don't have any specific tips on painting the bike itself ;(

 

[abacall]

I did five very light coats (two sweeps), and sanded with 150 grit till the original paint was all grey.