fubar said:
I checked the Vallejo site, all i could find was a solution for setting the decal in place and another thats a sealant but i couldn't see a solution for softening decals ???
The Vallejo system is quite different, and as with many of these products the naming doesn't always make sense. There is even conflicting information on their blog as to how its meant to be used.
The "Decal Medium", the one with the orange 'Alcohol Based' label, is in fact the softener. Apply to the surface, apply the decal, apply a little more and blot any excess. Let it do its thing.
The "Decal Fix", the one with the blue 'Water Based' label, is basically an acrylic matt medium which will seal the decal, feather the edge, and make its sheen match that of the matt paint.
One of the contributors on their Modeling Blog suggests applying the Decal Fix to the surface first (the matt medium), then the decal, then the Decal Medium (the softener).
I've used MicroSet/Sol for literally decades but am now experimenting with the Vallejo system. I will NOT say it is better or worse, but if is definitely different. The Vallejo softener contains a small amount of some sort of medium (leave a few drops in a palette overnight and in the morning you have a translucent, soft blob) which makes it quite different from MicroSol which is just pure softener. My initial assessment is that the Vallejo system may have a bit of a learning curve to its use, but it has the potential for great results.