Blending Auto Paint Without Painting a Full Panel

This video shows that it is possible to blend paint on the same panel, rather than painting the whole panel. However, it turned into a trial-and-error video because of several mistakes. Note, I didn't include the clear coat step because this was more focused on the blending technique, and there are many videos on clear coating. I did include the clear/top coat I used in the materials list below.

Materials (copy and paste the link into the browser address to purchase on Amazon):
1. Headlight repair kit - https://amzn.to/3ujiAuH
2. Primer - https://amzn.to/3QDcygh
3. Advanced Auto (thank you!!): Color-matched spray paint. They match it for you from the color code on the car's manufacturing label (located on the door edges or associated frame). Mine was about +95%, compared to the online version I used from the car paint code, G1U, at ~70%.
4. Polishing Compound: For polishing. Shake before putting on the foam pad - https://amzn.to/3QSsxbx
5. Clear coat spray paint - https://amzn.to/3MCgI6A
6. Rubbing Alchohol - https://amzn.to/3QTNpiq
7. Non-lint towels.
8. Hand drill

My Mistakes:
1. Too close or too much paint caused drips that needed to be sanded out and repainted. Do more thin layers every few minutes.
2. Used masking tape on the paint transition, and sanding it out, opted instead for a raised mask that intrinsically blended the spray paint and original paint.
3. Grabbing the original wrong paint for the final layer!

Steps (Note, don't mask with tape on the actual panel where you want to blend. Rather, hold it away from the panel by 2-3 inches away from the surface, and this will blend the paint automatically).
1. Sand out scratches with 500 Grit, limiting the spread as much as possible.
2. Finish with 800 grit
3. Spray plastic primer (masking off with tape where you don't want paint, and using a raised masking, 2-3 inches where you want to blend the paint)
4. Polish with rubbing compound
5. Clean with alcohol
6. Base paint 3X (use raised masking, 2-3 inches away from the paint area)
7. Polish with rubbing compound
8. Clean with alcohol
9. Base paint 3X (used raised masking again)
10. Polish with rubbing compound to a mirror finish.