THERMAL TRANSFER RECORDING METHOD

PURPOSE:To provide a thermal transfer recording method enabling gradation recording, by providing a release part having no adhesive strength to a heat-meltable ink layer on a substrate. CONSTITUTION:A heat-meltable ink layer 2 and a release part 31 are supplied between a thermal head 1 and a platen roll 4 while held therebetween under pressure in opposed relation to each other. An ink layer 24 is melted by heat generated from a heat generating element 11 to which power was applied and penetrated in a recording medium 3 under pressure. When power to be applied is low, because the generation of heat is reduced and the temp. of the molten ink 24 is low and also reduced in its flowability, the ink 34 penetrated in the recording medium 3 is quickly cooled and solidified in a substrate 32 and the penetration amount of the ink is reduced. When power to be applied is high, a large quantity of the ink is deeply penetrated in the recording medium 3 before cooling and solidification. WHen the ink layer 22 is released after transfer, because the release part 31 on the surface of the recording medium 3 has no adhesive strength to the heat-meltable ink layer 22, said ink layer is released from said surface. As mentioned above, the transfer of the ink corresponding to applied power quantity is enabled and recording 33 having gradation can be obtained.