A dry transfer is a marking rubbed directly onto the surface: position the sheet, burnish the back with a stylus or toothpick, and the printed design releases onto the part with no water and no carrier film.
No film means no silvering and a perfectly painted-on look — but placement is one-shot, with no sliding into position. Many builders keep them for flat, high-visibility markings and use waterslides everywhere else.
See it in context in our panel lining & decals guides, or explore the tools hands-on in The Bench.