Looks really good so far, great work.
And for my Armor, I used the Coverstripes Method from the beginning. It is a little bit more work, but it is definitely worth it.
I would go for that, if I were you.
For your Bucket, like it was said before, your Ears need more trimming.
And Yes, the Tube Stripes one the Right Side are facing the Wrong Way.
And I think, the Tears have to fill out the whole Space with the Paint.
But these are Easy Changes and after Changing them, your Bucket will look great.