Strictly strictly speaking, waterslide transfers are not decalcomanias, since they are actually thin pieces of plastic film with the image printed on them, which in turn are glued in place.
True decalcomanias, as described in your dictionary entry, just transfer the printing with no film, as in most varnish fixing transfers, where the printing is directly stuck in place, and then the paper is washed away.
Admittedly, this distinction has been lost through the mists of time.
Louis Schulman Tampa, FL
-----Original Message----- From: Sheldon Brown <CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com> Sent: Mar 12, 2004 1:27 PM To: Boy651@aol.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]Foil vs Decal
George elanjian asked:
>What's the difference between the two -- Is one better than the other? What
>was the reasoning behind the foil? Cosmetic or cost?
Strictly speaking, "decals" use an image that is transferred from a substrate paper, usually by sliding off sideways from a wetted substrate paper.
Foil "decals" are just a type of sticker.
>From Webster's online Unabridged Dictionary:
Main Entry: de·cal·co·ma·nia Etymology: French décalcomanie, from décalco- (from décalquer to copy by tracing, from dé- off -- from Old French des- off, do the opposite of -- + calquer to trace) + manie mania, craze, from Late Latin mania -- more at DE-, CALQUE, MANIA 1 : the art or process of transferring pictures and designs typically from specially prepared paper to china, glass, or marble and permanently fixing them thereto 2 a : a picture or design prepared for transfer by decalcomania b : a paper on which designs are printed for transfer printing
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