Decals usually have an adhesive so they can stick to different surfaces.
Decal is a term that has its immediate etymological antecedent in the French word décalcomanie . The first meaning mentioned in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refers to a process that is carried out to transfer an image, specially prepared for this purpose, from paper to another type of support .
The notion of decal is also used to refer to the image that is generated through the aforementioned procedure. Another possibility is that you mention the cardboard that contains it before transferring it.
The decal as picture
The usual thing is that the idea of a decal appears related to the image that can be transferred to another medium. Said transfer can be carried out by using heat or water , although the most common thing nowadays is that it contains an adhesive substance (which is why the decal can be referred to as a sticker ).
At a general level, therefore, a decal is an image that is prepared to be transferred to another surface. If we focus on the first meaning that the RAE provides, the decal has turpentine . This sticky substance is obtained from trees such as larch, spruce and pine; In this framework, the decal has to be placed on cardboard or paper, which must be removed after being moistened.
Another possibility is that the decal has a layer of adhesive . In these cases, the image is marketed and distributed already glued on a silicone paper, which is then removed to once again leave the adhesive exposed and thus make it possible to fix the figure to its final place.
A guitar can be decorated with stickers.
Marketing, decoration and other uses
The uses of decals are multiple. Many times it is a marketing resource: companies give away stickers so that consumers or clients can stick them on different sides. A popular strategy is to include stickers with children's motifs on the inside of packages of sweets, snacks, etc., so that children have fun finding and sticking them.
Decals, on the other hand, can be taken as a decorative element . Depending on their characteristics and materials, they are used to decorate appliances (a refrigerator or refrigerator; a microwave oven), furniture (tables, desks), musical instruments (guitars, basses), vehicles (cars, bicycles), doors, windows and notebooks, to mention a few possibilities.
Sometimes stickers serve to convey a message . The supporter of a football team can stick a decal with the institution's shield on his car with the intention of reflecting his love for the entity in question. Additionally, the sticker can spread some type of proclamation or slogan: “Let's take care of the beaches,” “I am vegan and I respect animals,” “No to sexist violence.”
An urban legend about stickers
In the 1970s, a rumor began to spread about the alleged inclusion of drugs on stickers intended for children. According to this version, an addictive substance was added to the adhesive layer to make the children dependent on it.
Although official documents with warnings were even generated, the existence of this type of stickers was never proven. That is why the story is often considered an urban legend .