Kalkitos
Encyclopedia
Action Transfers or Kalkitos were a type of art-based children's pastime that was extremely popular in Europe
, South East Asia and Central America
in the 1970s and 1980s. They consisted of a printed cardboard background image and a transparent sheet of coloured dry-transferables
containing such things as people, vehicles, weapons, explosions, animals and so on. These figures were to be applied on to the background scene through a process called chromolithography
, accomplished by rubbing the back of the transparent sheet with a soft pencil. Clever part application of transfers could result in such imaginative compositions as a character with an arrow sticking out of his head, or people dismembered by explosions.
A number of different sets were produced by several companies between the late 1970s and the 1980s; these included sets based on popular comics and cartoons (e.g., DC Comics
, Marvel Comics
, Scooby Doo, and Disney
cartoons), television series and movies (e.g., Star Wars
and Battlestar Galactica
), as well as original content sets.
, the company that developed the eponymous transfer sheets that dominated amateur publishing before the advent of desktop publishing
. In the 1960s, a division of Letraset called Letraset Consumer was established, with the mission of using the Letraset technology to develop children-oriented figure sheets. These were called "Action Transfers". They were originally monochromatic, but later evolved into CMYK colored
figures.
In the early 1970s, the production of Action Transfers was transferred to an Italian branch of Letraset, Sodecor. Sodecor's Action Transfers became extremely popular in Italy under the brand name "Trasferelli".
Letraset later sold the license to create transfers to several other companies, including Waddingtons
, Patterson Blick, and, most notably, Gillette, that contributed to the world-wide diffusion of Action Transfer under brand name "Kalkitos", packaged as a magazine.
After 1980, production of Action Transfer was continued by a British company named Acorn
, that included several ex-Letraset designers. The popularity of this game declined in the 1980s and production ceased.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, South East Asia and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
in the 1970s and 1980s. They consisted of a printed cardboard background image and a transparent sheet of coloured dry-transferables
Dry transfer
Dry transfer is a term used to describe decals which can be applied without the use of water or other solvent. Sometimes they are called rub-ons or rubdowns due to the method of application. The decal itself is on a backing material such as paper or plastic sheeting much like a transparency. The...
containing such things as people, vehicles, weapons, explosions, animals and so on. These figures were to be applied on to the background scene through a process called chromolithography
Chromolithography
Chromolithography is a method for making multi-color prints. This type of color printing stemmed from the process of lithography, and it includes all types of lithography that are printed in color. When chromolithography is used to reproduce photographs, the term photochrom is frequently used...
, accomplished by rubbing the back of the transparent sheet with a soft pencil. Clever part application of transfers could result in such imaginative compositions as a character with an arrow sticking out of his head, or people dismembered by explosions.
A number of different sets were produced by several companies between the late 1970s and the 1980s; these included sets based on popular comics and cartoons (e.g., DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, Scooby Doo, and Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
cartoons), television series and movies (e.g., Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
and Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica TV series in 1978, and was followed by a brief sequel TV series in 1980, a line of book adaptations, original novels, comic books, a board game, and video games...
), as well as original content sets.
History
The first Action Transfer sets were marketed by LetrasetLetraset
Letraset is a company based in the Kingsnorth Industrial Estate in Ashford, Kent, UK.It is known mainly for manufacturing sheets of artwork elements which can be transferred to artwork being prepared. The name Letraset was often used to refer generically to sheets of dry transferrable lettering of...
, the company that developed the eponymous transfer sheets that dominated amateur publishing before the advent of desktop publishing
Desktop publishing
Desktop publishing is the creation of documents using page layout software on a personal computer.The term has been used for publishing at all levels, from small-circulation documents such as local newsletters to books, magazines and newspapers...
. In the 1960s, a division of Letraset called Letraset Consumer was established, with the mission of using the Letraset technology to develop children-oriented figure sheets. These were called "Action Transfers". They were originally monochromatic, but later evolved into CMYK colored
CMYK color model
The CMYK color model is a subtractive color model, used in color printing, and is also used to describe the printing process itself. CMYK refers to the four inks used in some color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key...
figures.
In the early 1970s, the production of Action Transfers was transferred to an Italian branch of Letraset, Sodecor. Sodecor's Action Transfers became extremely popular in Italy under the brand name "Trasferelli".
Letraset later sold the license to create transfers to several other companies, including Waddingtons
Waddingtons
Waddingtons was a publisher of card and board games in the United Kingdom. The company was founded by John Waddington of Leeds, England and Wilson Barratt, under the name Waddingtons Limited...
, Patterson Blick, and, most notably, Gillette, that contributed to the world-wide diffusion of Action Transfer under brand name "Kalkitos", packaged as a magazine.
After 1980, production of Action Transfer was continued by a British company named Acorn
Acorn
The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
, that included several ex-Letraset designers. The popularity of this game declined in the 1980s and production ceased.