Thanks for the tip on brushes. There is a Michaels close to work so I'll spend a lunch break there soon. Arrows 42071 gave me a good tip for getting consistant location of the different stripes. Much like Swamp Collie suggested, fold up a piece of paper, just fold into the shape of a tent and place by the shaft. I can use the paper to mark where I want the different colors and use it for a template. I'll give that a try when I do my next batch.