Transfer method for heat-sensitive transfer recording

A heat-sensitive transfer recording method, comprising:

• providing a heat-sensitive transfer medium comprising a support and at least two heat-transferrable ink layers including a first ink layer and a second ink layer disposed in the order named on the support,
• superposing the transfer medium on a recording medium to contact the recording medium,
• heating the transfer medium in a pattern corresponding to information to be recorded, wherein the adhesion strength between the first ink layer and the support (F.sub.1) and the adhesion strength between the two ink layers (F.sub.2) are such that F.sub.1 >F.sub.2 before and F.sub.1 <F.sub.2 after a predetermined time after heating, whereby the number of ink layers transferred from the transfer medium onto the recording medium depends on the length of time after heating until the transfer medium is separated from the recording medium, and
• separating the transfer medium from the recording medium after a predetermined length of time such that a transferred ink pattern of a prescribed number of ink layers is left on the recording medium, whereby the second ink layer is selectively transferred to the recording medium in a shorter time until separation, and both the first and second ink layers are transferred to the recording medium in a longer time until separation.