Method for printing on hollow bodies

A method for printing on hollow bodies, in which printing ink (69) is transferred onto each of the hollow bodies (01) from printing blankets (33) arranged in a row along the periphery of a segmented wheel (03) rotating about its axis (34), in which at least two plate cylinders (04) arranged in succession in the direction of rotation of the segmented wheel (03) and each bearing a printing plate (68) are used, in which a first printing ink (69), applied to the printing plate (68) of a first plate cylinder (04) by a first inking unit (06) that is thrown onto said plate cylinder, is transferred onto a first printing blanket (33) of the printing blankets (33) arranged along the periphery of the segmented wheel (03), characterized in that the first printing ink (69) transferred onto the first printing blanket (33) of the printing blankets (33) arranged on the periphery of the segmented wheel (03) is back-split onto the printing plate (68) of a second plate cylinder (04) situated downstream of the first plate cylinder (04) in the direction of rotation of the segmented wheel (03), in which a second printing ink (69) different from the first printing ink (69) is applied to the printing plate (68) of the second plate cylinder (04) by a second inking unit (06) that is thrown onto said cylinder, in which the first printing ink (69) applied to the printing plate (68) of the second plate cylinder (04) by back-splitting and the second printing ink applied to said printing plate by the second inking unit (06) are transferred together onto a second printing blanket (33), in which the different printing inks (69) applied to the printing plate (68) of the second plate cylinder (04) are applied to said printing plate (68) in different mutually adjoining regions and become blended in their respective border region (71), in which the printing inks (69) applied to the printing plate (68) of the second plate cylinder (04) are transferred onto the second printing blanket (33), reproducing the blending that has occurred in their respective border region (71), wherein the first inking unit (06) inks up at least one first printing image area formed on the printing plate (68) of the first plate cylinder (04) and the second inking unit (06) inks up at least one second printing image area formed on the printing plate (68) of the second plate cylinder (04), wherein due to its position and size, the second printing image area formed on the printing plate (68) of the second plate cylinder (04) encompasses the region into which printing ink from the respective area of the at least one first printing image area formed on the printing plate (68) of the first plate cylinder (04) is transferred or back-split.