There’s nothing worse than discovering an air bubble under a decal after applying it. I use Tamiya and Vallejo acrylic paints, and I have a method that works well to get rid of bubbles. First, I poke tiny holes in the air pocket with the tip of a very sharp hobby knife. (A fine needle will work as well). Then, I dab acrylic thinner over the hole. The thinner gets sucked under the decal, dissolves the paint a little, and makes the hole disappear. Go easy, though: flooding the decal with thinner may cause it to shrivel. I’ve also discovered that brushing thinner over the surface before adding a decal softens the paint underneath, better binding the decal to the surface. It really makes the marking look painted-on.
Tip submitted by:
Roger JangVancouver, British Columbia, Canada