Simon, that is such helpful advice. I definitely plan to go with that thin black gradient like on a real tuff dog. Good to know about not using cardboard. If I dye just the middle and then use the black lacquer to do the burst, will it leave a noticeable ridge? I assume that I can fix it with lots of coats of clear and sanding?

Also, I don't have a spray gun so I plan to use cans. Any idea how many cans of clear I will need?