Printing apparatus and printing method

A printing apparatus for printing a recording medium and an intermediate transfer medium, comprising:

• a supply portion for storing the recoding medium,
• recording medium transport means disposed adjacent to the supply portion and having a transport path for transporting the recording medium from the supply portion along the transport path,
• at least one first printing means arranged on the transport path for selectively forming an image on one of the recording medium and the intermediate transfer medium,
• second printing means arranged on the transport path for transferring the image formed on the intermediate transfer medium to the same or different recording medium,
• intermediate transfer medium transport means disposed adjacent to one of the first and second printing means for moving the intermediate transfer medium back and forth relative to the one of the first and second printing means,
• mode setting means for selecting one of a first mode in which said first printing means forms the image on the recording medium and a second mode in which the second printing means transfers the image formed on the intermediate transfer medium to the same or different recording medium, and
• control means electrically connected to the recording medium transport means, the first printing means, the second printing means, the intermediate transfer medium transport means, and the mode setting means for controlling the printing apparatus so that an image formation on the recording medium by the second printing means in the second mode is performed parallel to a back or forth movement of the intermediate transfer medium at a time of an image formation to the intermediate transfer medium by the first printing means.