 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2015) |
A decal (/ˈdiːkæl/, US also /dɪˈkæl/, CAN /ˈdɛkəl/)[1] or transfer is a plastic, cloth, paper, or ceramic substrate that has printed on it a pattern or image that can be moved to another surface upon contact, usually with the aid of heat or water.
The word is short for decalcomania, a decorative technique by which engravings and prints are transferred to pottery or other materials. The technique was invented by Simon François Ravenet, an engraver from France who later moved to England and perfected the process he called "décalquer" (which means "to copy by tracing"); it became widespread during the decal craze or mania of the late 19th century.