My turtles needed some rework, anything I did with a previous (bad advice from another carver) mix of helmsman spar urethane, mineral spirits and boiled linseed oil turns to dark after a couple years. Some sanding and a decision to use some Cabot white stain for the underside and top highlights, followed with some burning and clear timber oil brought them alive.

Rotate your head 90 degrees, pictures always seem to do that.