Thermal transfer recording material and image forming method

An image forming method comprising the steps of:

• (a) superposing a thermal transfer recording material and an image-receiving material,
• (b) heating the thermal transfer recording material to the extent according to image information;
• and
• (c) forming an image on the image-receiving material with a chelate dye formed upon reaction of a metal source represented by Formula 4, being present in the image-receiving material or in a heat-fusible layer of the thermal transfer recording material and a yellow dye represented by Formula 1:
• ##STR44## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent;
• R.sub.3 represents an alkyl group or aryl group which may have a substituent;
• Z represents a group of atoms necessary to form a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring ,
• M(Q.sub.1).sub.q (Q.sub.2).sub.r (Q.sub.3).sub.s !.sup.P+ P(L.sup.-)Formula 4
• wherein M represents Ni.sup.2+, Cu.sup.2+, Cr.sup.2+, Co.sup.2+ or Zn.sup.2+, Q.sub.1, Q.sub.2 and Q.sub.3 independently represent a coordinate compound capable of coordinate bond to said metal ion represented by M;
• L.sup.- represents an organic anion group;
• q represents an integer of 1, 2 or 3, r is 1, 2 or 0, and s is 1 or 0, p represents 1 or 2.