Shoot your basecoat & then a midcoat clear, your graphics go on top of the midcoat. This is NOT top coat clear.
I use HOK when I want an awsome flame job, starting with a Shimern basecoat, a midcoat clear, tape off my flames, shoot them with flake, 3 stage those with yellow orange red candy, then topcoat clear.
You can block out the topcoat clear & re-apply until you get it smooth as glass ( build up ) just don't go over 8 mil.'s if you can help it. I use a ETG to monitor where I'm at during the topcoat build. I take a reading over the flamed area, and then again over the un-flamed area so that I get them even after build up & blocking.
Good Luck & don't cut too deep & get into your color, or you get to start over !