Abstract: A printing method for performing enlargement printing of one continuous line by simultaneously shifting a plurality of printing heads by a shifting magnitude. The shifting magnitude of the printing heads is set to be greater than a shifting magnitude utilized in standard printing. Dividing points for shifting traces of each of the printing heads are set such that the shifting traces of adjacent printing heads partially overlap one another. Divided printing zones are established between the dividing points, and the printing timing of the printing heads is controlled for performing the enlargement printing of the one continuous line. Additionally, a printing method for performing reduction printing of one continuous line is performed by setting a shifting magnitude of the printing heads to be equal to that used in standard printing. Divided printing zones are established to be printed by at least two printing heads in a non-overlapping manner.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for thermal recording and thermal transfer recording in a multicolor system. After performing the thermal recording, the thermal transfer recording is performed by overlaying a portion thermally recorded already. A thermal transfer donor sheet has a thermal transfer layer containing a desensitizer for suppressing a coloring reaction in the thermal recording layer of the thermal recording sheet. In performing multicolor recording by overlapping images of plural documents, after an image of a first document has been thermally recorded on a recording sheet, an image of a second document is recorded on the same recording sheet by thermal transfer recording. No color mixture occurs between colors thermally recorded and thermally transferred respectively and bright and clear color development can be obtained.

Abstract: In obtaining image data of an enlargement factor .alpha. by which the image data is enlarged and processed by multiplication with a non-integer number, the image data are firstly contracted and processed to a contraction factor .beta.=.alpha./.gamma., wherein .gamma. is an integer satisfying .alpha.<.gamma.. Then, the contraction-processed image data are subjected to pseudo half tone processing. Thereafter, the pseudo half tone processed image data are enlarged and processed by a factor .gamma. times. The contraction factor .beta. is selected as a value equal to or more than 50%. Thereby, even for an enlargement factor which requires multiplication by a non-integer number, visual image quality is upgraded, processing data amount is reduced and memory capacity is lowered, thus resulting in a lower cost.