Painting Over A Figured Top?

[boomerlu]

I have a basic idea of the painting process...

Seal

Prime

Color coats

Clear coats

with a lot of sanding in between to make sure everything is nice and flat when desirable (for sealer and primer).

Now my question is - would you do anything different for painting over a figured (flame maple/quilt maple for example) top? I'm talking about putting on a graphic, not just staining. What would you do to preserve the figure but have it colored differently in different areas?

Also, how would one remove the color from a pre-existing figured top that has been stained? How much thickness would you need to do this without totally destroying the veneer?

Thanks guys

Yike