Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Stains over paint?

Hi, I hope I chose the correct forum here. I am having a Japanese Step Tansu made from Alder. I want it to resemble some dining chairs I have from India. They appear to have green and red paint beneath several different colors of stain. It almost looks like a white stain, paint, and then a couple of dark stains wiped over. You can see everything underneath.
Can I do that? Stain over paint? Also, the chairs feel sort of waxy. Does anyone know what that is?
Many thanks in advance!!
Kevin

Probably not a stain, but likely a thinned coat of paint, more like a wash. Stain is just what it says, it soaks into the wood ans stains it. It does not work over paint. I am not an expert on Japanese style finishing, so, maybe someone better qualified can comment.

I see, thinned down paint on top of other paint.
Thanks!

My neighbor put stain over white paint on her cabinets, they came out very nice looking.:p