lettering stain

I made a simple sign that has some 60 degree v bit lettering plus a carving on it. The wood is a really light wood and i just want to put a protective coat on it but i am concerned that the lettering wouldn't stand out enough.

This will be mounted above a doorway and I'm not real concerned if people can't see it from 20 feet away, but should I try to stain the letters with a fine tip brush?

Yes you can use a fine tip brush to stain small areas. A gel stain would be best as it will not bleed into the wood as much as normal stain. You can also stain the full board and let the stain puddle into the lettering. This make the letters darker and stand out from the rest of the board.