Abstract: A color image-forming method, comprising the steps of: using a transfer sheet comprising a foundation, a release layer and a colored ink layer stacked in this order on one side of the foundation wherein the release layer is capable of being fused or softened by heat at the time of a thermal transferring process and the colored ink layer is incapable of being softened by heat at the time of the thermal transferring process; and an image receiving body having at least a surface layer capable of being fused or softened by heat at the time of the thermal transferring process, superposing the colored ink layer of the transfer sheet onto the image receiving body and heating the transfer sheet/image receiving body from the transfer sheet side to form a color image on the image receiving body.

Abstract: An ink image-receiving sheet for use in a method of forming an image, comprising an ink-receiving layer having a porous structure formed according to a wet-solidification method, the ink-receiving layer comprising a binder resin and aragonite-type calcium carbonate as main components, and a method of forming an image using the ink image-receiving sheet.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium is disclosed which comprises a foundation, and an ink layer and an adhesive layer provided on one side of the foundation in this order, the adhesive layer comprising a binder comprising a thermoplastic resin (A) and particles comprising a thermoplastic resin (B) dispersed in the binder, the adhesive layer having an uneven surface resulting from the particles, the thermoplastic resin (A) and the thermoplastic resin (B) being different from each other and the same at least in their main constitutional units.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium comprising a foundation, and a filling ink layer provided on the foundation, the filling ink layer being thermally transferred onto a receptor in advance of formation of a print image thereon, the filling ink layer comprising a release layer, a transfer layer having a high melt viscosity and an adhesive layer which three layers are stacked in this order on the foundation, with use of the recording medium, the surface of a receptor paper that is significantly uneven can be changed to a flat one by a single thermal transfer operation, and print images of high quality can be formed by transferring a colored ink layer onto the flat surface.

Abstract: A thermal transfer medium is disclosed which is useful in a method for forming a color image by selectively melt-transferring at least two of a yellow heat-meltable ink layer, a magenta heat-meltable ink layer and a cyan heat-meltable ink layer onto a receptor having a microporous surface layer. The thermal transfer medium includes a foundation having thereon a yellow heat-meltable ink layer, a magenta heat-meltable ink layer and a cyan heat-meltable ink layer, a non-transferable undercoat layer being provided between the foundation and the respective ink layers, each of the ink layers comprising a coloring agent and a vehicle comprising a wax as a major ingredient, each of the ink layers having a melt viscosity of 20 to 200 cps/90 .degree. C., the undercoat layer comprising a resin exhibiting a strong adhesion to a wax. The thermal transfer medium gives highly fine color images excellent in gradation quality and color reproducibility on the basis of subtractive color mixture of yellow, magenta and cyan.

Abstract: A thermal transfer material is disclosed which is useful in a method for forming a color image comprising selectively melt-transferring at least one of a yellow heat-meltable ink layer, a magenta heat-meltable ink layer and a cyan heat-meltable ink layer onto a receptor having a multiplicity of micropores in the surface layer thereof to enter each ink in a molten state into the micropores, thereby forming a color image comprising at least one of (A) at least one color region of single color of yellow, magenta and cyan, and (B) at least one color region developed on the basis of subtractive color mixture of at least two of yellow, magenta and cyan. The thermal transfer material comprises at least one of a yellow heat-meltable ink layer, a magenta heat-meltable ink layer and a cyan heat-meltable ink layer provided on a foundation or foundations, each ink layer having a melt viscosity of 20 to 200 cps/90.degree. C. and a coating amount of 0.5 to 2.5 g/m.sup.2, the foundation having a thickness of 1.0 to 4.5 .mu.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium having a wax-type heat-meltable ink layer provided on a foundation wherein the vehicle of the ink layer contains an oxidized polyethylene wax as the major component and the melting point of the ink layer is not lower than 95.degree. C. Also disclosed is a thermal transfer recording medium having a release layer containing a wax as the major component and a resin-type heat-meltable ink layer provided on a foundation in this order wherein the melting point of the release layer is not lower than 90.degree. C. The recording media can be used in a high-temperature environment of about 60.degree. to 90.degree. C.

Abstract: In a sublimation transfer method wherein a heat-meltable ink layer containing a sublimation dye is melt-transferred to give a master having an image of the ink, and the sublimation dye in the ink image is heat-transferred to form a dyed image on a substrate, there is used a heat-melt transfer medium wherein a release layer comprising a wax-like substance as a major component is provided between a foundation and the ink layer, or an adhesive layer comprising a wax-like substance as a major component is provided on the ink layer, or both the release layer and the adhesive layer are provided. The releasability of the ink layer from the foundation and the adhesiveness of the ink layers with each other are good. The method is especially useful to form a full-color dyed image.