This series of photos show the progress of “blocking in” a panel. The first image shows the beginning, what the panel looked like after I primed it.
The second, shows the guide coat applied. The guide coat is actually carbon powder applied with a sponge.
The third shows after the panel was sanded with an 18” board with 220 grit paper.
The final shows the second application of primer.
The next step is to sand this surface with the 18” board and 320 grit paper. I will then sand with 400 wet and the 500 wet. Each application of primer is three coats. Each coat is about .003 thick, so in some places the paint is .018 thick and in others it is .003. This is what makes the panel “flat”.