You don't need 4 coats of base. The base should look dull, dry and flat, the clear, is what makes it shinny. With a lot more practice, your color coat should be flat, no orange peal at all, and put at least 4 coats (even 5) of clear on it if you plan on wet sanding and polishing. This step can take off two coats of the clear and leave two coats of clear on the car for buffing out minor scratches later in it's life. I put 5 on mine and the paint looks very deep.
With the stripes. It depends on the painters preference. I like painting the stripes first, then putting on a light coat of clear. That way, if you get any of the other body color under the tape, you can wipe it off with some wax and grease remover very easily. Then, cover the entire car with more clear coats.
I hope I've made my painting process clear (hehe, "clear")
(also, make sure you use a tack cloth in between coats and wrap yourself with plastic like a condom, if you're a hairy beast like Sasquatch !!!
It makes me so,oooo
when I get hair in the paint. And, please turn around if you have to sneeze unless you like the old "splash graphics")!
