Abstract: A color decal is applied to the flat side of a relief image consisting of ceramic or like material in such a way that the color fields are adjacent to the flat side and are overlapped by a lacquer mask which contains frit and is separated from a paper carrier by a water-soluble film of glue or albumen. In order to apply the combined color and relief image to the surface of a ceramic or like object, the uneven side of the relief image is pressed against the surface of the object prior or subsequent to melting of the film so as to detach the carrier and expose the mask. In the next step, the images are treated by a squeegee or an analogous tool so as to partially deform the originally flat side of the relief image prior to sintering which entails evaporation of lacquer and conversion of frit into a glaze overlying the color fields which, in turn, overlie the uneven side of the relief image.