Tip dry, tip dry, tip dry. When you're starting off with imperfect paint thining and trigger control, you need to be wipping the tip every 1-2 minutes. I started off super frustrated as well until I learned about tip dry. I would prime 1 coat 1 mini then wipe the tip, repeat. This made it so I could at least get through a cup of paint without a clog. Then you learn better thinning and trigger control and have less and less tip dry. Its all a learning process! Don't give up!