What steps to take when dying a project with acrylic painted design?

[midriftersleather]

I’m still rather new to the leather world and I’ve been experimenting with dyes quite a lot but I keep getting stuck when it comes to dyes and acrylic paint. I tooled a veg-tan zipper pouch and I want to paint my design with acrylic paints but also want to dye the leather around it. I’m lost at which steps are first. Do I dye the entire thing and just build acrylic paint on top of it? Or paint the design and then put resolene on the acrylic painted part then dye? Either way seems to not give me clean results. I’m using alpha six paints and eco-flo dyes if that helps. 
 

In the photo: I’m wanting to paint the character with acrylics and do a sunburst dye with the rest of the veg tan. 

Edited March 23, 2023 by midriftersleather
Rewording

[fredk]

I dye first, then seal, white or silver colour acrylic base coat on where I want to paint, then top colours; lightest first thru to darkest.

[Fraulein]

I dye the whole thing, then paint over that, I like to use several thin coats to get a good color, then seal.

~Frau~

[Bert03241]

Yes I dye first also then seal with res, then paint and seal paint when done. I find bye sealing first and then painting , the paint takes less coats

Edited March 25, 2023 by Bert03241

[midriftersleather]

Thank you all for the advice. Wish me luck