laying on and troweling up

[christ]

can any one tell me the methods they use when it comes to flatterning the plaster, is it best to flattern the plaster from side to side or up an down, also the method for troweling up

 

[gps]

I two coat it going up and down on my first trowel i go up to flatten out lines then i go side to side using very little water, using this method is easier on the back.