Abstract: An electrostatic drum printer having a linear array of charging elements scanning a sheet of paper with a helical stripe pattern. The head is supported on a lead screw which advances the head as the drum rotates. The head writes an electrostatic latent image of digital words which visually appear as adjacent columns once the sheet is toned and laid flat. A toning shoe assembly is carried along with the head, with a single toning shoe, having a toner of a specified color, adjacent the head. When the head reaches the end of a scan, the head and shoe assembly is retracted for fly back to a starting position. A new toning shoe, having a toner of another color, may be indexed into position near the head. The retracted elements are pushed forward for starting another scan. With several scans, a color image may be recreated.