On the family farm, my Dad had an implement garage (pole barn) with cement floors...that I took over as a teenager. Outside went a few implements, but he still got to keep his Cockshutt tractor, under roof.

I couldn't afford a used car from the local dealers, so I would buy a $50-$200 rust bucket and do the body & paint.
I also had a summer job painting factories, fixing windows, cutting grass, etc...to save for school.
One week we had to seal a cinder block heavy equipment service garage, and I quickly learned to spray the white goop sealer.
I was passionate about doing it perfectly, and didn't have one run.
- honing a hand/eye skill & practicing a self taught technique
It was a great way to learn spray gun use - painting walls that didn't matter much, a later applying lessons learned on own car projects.

I've been in other body shops, and what drives me crazy is:
- painter paints half a door (from top to bottom) and then does the other half...just lazy

Heck, I'd paint whole quarter panels, without stopping, avoiding dry spots.

- I could also see he was really skimping on the clear coat / he said to me (after I questioned it), "that stuff is expensive" 

I even taught my twin brother how to paint. We redid my MIL's car one long weekend.
I gave my bro the drivers side to do with the one garage window while I took the other side.
- virtually spraying in the dark, with one overhead light bulb
We were really proud of how the job turned out.
- a year later the car was sideswiped & the farm paint job was smoother than the insurance job repaint (had orange peel)

It was a great time for learning, youth & lack of funds was a great motivator.
- and to this day, still love the smell of body filler (LOL)...just like hawkeye5766 ...

One obvious thing I realized was - painting from top to bottom, the first few sprays are most critical.
Plus you formulate a panel spray sequence, before you even pull the trigger...practice your stance with an empty spray gun.
Have a chair ready and a helper close buy, he/she can help you keep the air hose off the panels and help with the roof. Helper also untangles the air hose and holds it while switching car sides, so it doesn't rub into a painted corner.
Starting a panel, first spray pass gets 2-3 medium wet coats, to get the flow started.
- extra paint buildup given, because remember 1st spray pass has no overlap
Next overlap fan spray 50% going down each single pass, trigger gun on/off at panel edges with the accuracy of a brain surgeon.
And keep spray fan/gun tip perfectly aligned, 90 degrees to panel...no deliberate arc swings in your extended arm either (think like a welding robot), laying down the paint...proper tip distance to sheet metal consistency helps much.

We would use the compressor outside, and took up to an hour to get all the sand out of car from earlier blasting.
Wet the cement floor, dumping a 5 gallon pail of water down and sweeping it out.
The biggest number one paint problem we had was - flies getting intoxicated on the paint fumes and landing on the fresh paint.
- took them out as best we could with tweezers (pulling wings), late at night on my first paint job (1966 Valiant)
Another thing we learned, bugs love coming out at night and attracted to garage lights...so we started painting, during the day.

Good luck GrtDanes, nothing more satisfying than doing your own work...I really enjoy following your build...Thanks.
- budget paint jobs using good materials can come out very nice, without costing several thousand dollars

Just an opinion here - that required me to ask myself 2 questions:
- Top or sides, what is the easiest to paint ?
- Top or sides, what is the easiest to damage, once painted ?

This is what I would do, sequence on a two tone paint job:
a) paint inside door openings, trunk gutter, inside of trunk lid/hood/doors etc. initially
- and assembly sheet metal pieces
b) paint roof the dark color next
- more of an awkward spraying position (more horizontal gun position & a lot higher up)
- easy to touch the side of the car, when your painting out of an ideal standing position, affecting arm range
- and any mistakes (like your gun spitting) can be fixed before the sides are ever done
c) paint the sides in light color last...finish on the vertical panels, easier to paint & show the most prep work
- painted last & not getting accidently damaged, which is possible if roof was painted last
Sure there is more instant gratification doing sides first (looks more restored), but I think harder panels to paint should take priority.