Painting tricks to make a bike look lower ??

[dennis mcnamee]

I'm going to take a crack at painting my own bike (this will be my first) and I would like to know what tricks I can use to make it visually lower. I know long stripes will help, but does it matter dark on top or bottom?
It's a softail but has hard bags from a late dresser, a lowered and smoothed dresser front fender and an older FL fairing mounted so the top of it just clears the top of the triple trees, so it is already very low.
Should a long strip or two tone effet be used to tie the pieces togeather?
I'm not considering flames or wild graphics. I'm looking for a stylized version of the stock two tone type design.
Is there anywhere I can get a outline drawing or motorcycles so I can color on paper before I paint the metal?

Thanks,
Dennis

 

[SportriderBryan]

For a pic I normally just do a google image search and blow up th epic a bit and start drawing