: ... will be different than anyone else. Be original, and don't think too much
: about it. I have yet to build a full stripper, but from all the ones I've
: seen, no two are alike. And if I were to suggest using your variated
: strips or your darkest colored strips on a certain area of your kayak, I
: would feel guilty for taking away from your creation.

Some folks feel more artistic than others. Giving folks a few general tips for aesthetics that they can "take or leave" might help out a lot.

Using variated strips or darker color strips on certain areas is a good idea. Or not.

I like to go for big contrasts. (Some don't.) From a distance, fine details are often lost, so it's the big contrasts that are most visually appealing. Contrasts between spruce and cedar, pine and redwood, maple and mahogany, etc. etc. etc. look great.

Like you, I've used shorter strips, and deck designs are a good means to hide the strip ends without showing a lot of scarfs.

Mixing thin and thick strips often works well, especially if the different width strips are different colors. A thin contrasting strip can really set off a large area of another color. This is a simple thing that can really make your boat look classy.

As for symmetry, I like it. A lot of Joe Greenley's gorgeous Redfish kayaks have assymetrical deck designs, which are truly beautiful. If you go asymmetric, make sure it looks intentional!

: Enjoy this part of the process, it's the best part (in my mind).

Some don't like it as much, but by giving them some general hints, they end up with something probably the hinter didn't even forsee, and the builder can be very proud of their original creation.

Just some advice to consider (or not)

shawn