When Spray Paint Goes Wrong: A Tabletop Saga

I recently tried to achieve a super smooth, high-gloss finish on a small prop table using spray paint, thinking it would be faster than my usual brush-and-roll method. My first attempt was a streaky, bubbly disaster. I used a standard rattle can, applied too thick, too close, and didn't allow enough drying time between coats. The humidity in the workshop that day certainly didn't help either. What did eventually work was sanding the initial mess down to a smooth base, then switching to very light, even passes (about 12 inches away) with a high-quality automotive-grade spray paint, using a spray gun for better control, and allowing ample cure time, sometimes several hours, between four thin coats. The key was patience and multiple, almost impossibly thin layers. My brush-and-roll would have been faster. What are your go-to tricks for getting a truly flawless, high-gloss surface on props, especially larger pieces?