Preserving White?

[Boriqua]

I dont know why I am having so much trouble but I need help!

The image is a small section of a larger project I am working on. It was just a color test and good thing I did it and didnt ruin a completed project. Here is my problem. I want to keep the colors as pure as possible ESPECIALLY the white. You can see that the red is muddy and the white turned a dingy yellow.

Here is what I did .... I painted the piece and let it set for several hours. I then sprayed the surface with a 50/50 of resolene and water through my airbrush. I let that sit a couple of hours and then sprayed it again somewhat heavily and let it sit several more hours out in the AZ sun. It was not tacky and before bed I took a brush and brushed straight resolene uncut from the bottle onto the white and yellow portions of the carving and let it sit over night. I would say it cured about 12 hours after the last coat.

This morning I took a piece of terry cloth and a heaping amount of Fiebings Tan Acrylic Antique stain and applied it to the piece. I let it set for about 5-10 minutes and with a piece of tee shirt folded flat and a touch of dampness I wiped down the piece.

Trashed!

So I am thinking a couple of things and wanted to get some feedback. I used to use supersheen uncut for my resist and it did a great job of preserving the colors. I attached a pic of a little bag I did in around 1991 and I am happy with the yellow and light green. Problem was I had a holster finish crack to all get go and I stopped using super sheen and I dont think the resolene has the same resist.?

Creative wise .. I am thinking the tan sent the white yellow and the Mahogony sent it pink that maybe I should use the Fiebings Acrylic Black stain to send it grey? Should I try the Tandy eco antique gel? never trried it but I am game for anything. Any thoughts. Basically ... throw out any ideas you are willing to share on keeping the colors pure ..ish

[Boriqua]

well just in case anyone else is looking for the answer ... I applied supersheen with a littley dampened sponge to a new test piece with red white and yellow paint and some areas left natural. The I went over just the white with a brush after the first application was good and dry. Worked like a charm. Colors are nice and bright and stain is just where I want it.

[DoubleC]

Thanks for the info!!!! Cheryl

[benlilly1]

Also the sun will darken leather. You said you let it set out in the sun for several hours. Nice work.