Transfer printing method

A transfer printing method comprising the steps of:

• providing a thermal transfer ink sheet wherein a heat-meltable ink Y containing a sublimation dye for yellow, a heat-meltable ink M containing a sublimation dye for magenta and a heat-meltable ink C containing a sublimation dye for cyan are applied on a single foundation in the order of ink C, ink M and ink Y in a direction opposite to a direction in which said thermal transfer ink sheet is to be fed,
• selectively melt-transferring at least two of the inks Y, M and C onto a master sheet in the order of ink C, ink M and ink Y to form a master image in which at least two of the respective images of the inks Y, M and C are superimposed one on the other;
• and
• transferring the sublimation dyes contained in the superimposed images onto an image receptor;
• wherein in forming said master image on said master sheet, a thermal transfer printer is used which is constructed to use a thermal transfer ink sheet wherein a yellow ink Y, a magenta ink M and a cyan ink C are periodically arranged in this order on a single foundation in a direction opposite to a feeding direction of the thermal transfer ink sheet and detection marks Sy, Sm and Sc are provided for the inks Y, M and C, respectively, and which selects the inks for desired colors by detecting the detection marks with a detection means when the thermal transfer ink sheet is moved in the feeding direction;
• and wherein in the thermal transfer ink sheet detection marks Sy, Sm and Sc are provided for said inks C, M and Y, respectively, and said inks C, M and Y are transferred onto said master sheet in this order by selecting and transferring said sublimation ink C upon detection of the detection mark Sy, said sublimation ink M upon detection of the detection mark Sm, and said sublimation ink Y upon detection of the detection mark Sc, by the detection means.