I'm new to customizing, and have spent time reading some of the tutorials here, and would appreciate further explanation on painting Transformers: When sanding down parts that touch, is this supposed to be done before or after priming? Also, To get the best paint job, do you paint the figure in it's car configuration, or do you disassemble the figure and paint the parts individually? Thanks for any suggestions or help.
Typically, you want to make note of any potential rub spots on a figure. A simple way to do this is to conduct a paint test of the areas in question. Let the paint cure and try moving the part. If it looks like a problem area and the cured paint begins to chip, you'll have to sand as much down as you can until it's been remedied or - at the very least - minimized. I'd try wet sanding since it's less abrasive. I don't prime until the whole figure is ready for final paint. As for disassembling or painting a figure whole, I've seen both methods regularly used. Jin Saotome stated in one of his old tutorials that he seldom, if ever, takes figures apart prior to painting. I think some figures can be painted as is, but you'll need to open as much of the figure up as possible. Basically, you want to mistransform it for this very purpose. I typically mask off certain spots with painter's tape as I don't want to gunk up said spots with paint. With disassembling, you have to be very careful. Carefully study the figure and make sure you understand how to fully take it apart. Also, keep track of all of the parts, screws, pins, and springs that'll be involved. Take notes if you have to. Set aside a container with multiple compartments to store the aforementioned pieces and label them clearly. This is the best advice I can give for now. I hope this helps.
When I do a full paint job, I like to first do the vehicle mode and then later on work on the robot mode by opening it up, as Satomiblood mentions.
Jin's old tutorial: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/tutorials-how-tos/213294-jins-transformers-painting-guide.html
