An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit that forms a clear toner image with a clear toner; a second image forming unit that forms a color toner image with a color toner; a transfer unit that transfers at least one of the clear toner image and the color toner image onto a medium; and a controller that controls formation of the clear toner image and the color toner image. When the medium is a heat transfer medium and the color toner image is formed on the heat transfer medium, the controller performs control so that the clear toner image is formed on a region where the color toner image is formed and a weight per unit area of the color toner is less than 0.29 mg/cm.sup.2, and a weight per unit area of the clear toner image is 0.15 to 0.55 mg/cm.sup.2.

A heating apparatus includes a body and a holder removably placed inside the body. The holder removably holds a heating object. A receiver removably holds the holder. A heater heats the heating object held by the holder held by the receiver. A mover moves one of the receiver and the heater vertically relative to another one of the receiver and the heater to a non-contact heating position where the heating object is isolated from the heater.

A digital printing system (10) includes a flexible substrate (44), an optical assembly (200, 301) and a processor (20). The flexible substrate (44) has a periodic pattern, and is configured to be moved and to receive ink droplets in a printing process that forms an image thereon. The optical assembly (200, 301) is configured to illuminate the flexible substrate (44) with light (215, 315), to detect the light (215, 315) from the flexible substrate (44), and to derive from the detected light (215, 315) a signal indicative of the periodic pattern. The processor (20) is configured to receive the signal and to monitor or control the digital printing system (10) based on the periodic pattern as indicated by the signal.

An image forming apparatus includes an image processing section and an image forming section. The image processing section corrects, on the basis of pieces of image data, a pixel value corresponding to an auxiliary color developer in a first pixel and thereby causes a developer amount in the first pixel to fall within a predetermined range. The pieces of image data correspond to respective developers including one or more basic color developers that configure an image and the auxiliary color developer. The developer amount in the first pixel is a total amount of the one or more basic color developers and the auxiliary color developer in the first pixel when the one or more basic color developers and the auxiliary color developer are disposed on each other. The image forming section forms an image on a transfer print medium on the basis of the pieces of processed image data processed.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section. The image forming section includes: a first toner image forming unit that forms a textile printing toner image with a textile printing toner; and a second toner image forming unit that forms a first dyeing-target toner image with a dyeing-target toner. The image forming section disposes the textile printing toner image and the first dyeing-target toner image in this order on a print medium. The textile printing toner includes a textile printing dye. The dyeing-target toner includes a polymer compound that is to be dyed with the textile printing dye.

A digital printing system (10) includes a flexible substrate (44), an optical assembly (200, 301) and a processor (20). The flexible substrate (44) has a periodic pattern, and is configured to be moved and to receive ink droplets in a printing process that forms an image thereon. The optical assembly (200, 301) is configured to illuminate the flexible substrate (44) with light (215, 315), to detect the light (215, 315) from the flexible substrate (44), and to derive from the detected light (215, 315) a signal indicative of the periodic pattern. The processor (20) is configured to receive the signal and to monitor or control the digital printing system (10) based on the periodic pattern as indicated by the signal.

Herein is described a method of printing an image on a textile. The method comprises electrophotographically printing an image onto a textile substrate using an electrophotographic ink composition, applying a coating composition comprising a polymer and a crosslinking agent to the printed electrophotographic ink, and crosslinking the applied coating composition.

An image forming apparatus includes an image processing section and an image forming section. The image processing section corrects, on the basis of pieces of image data, a pixel value corresponding to an auxiliary color developer in a first pixel and thereby causes a developer amount in the first pixel to fall within a predetermined range. The pieces of image data correspond to respective developers including one or more basic color developers that configure an image and the auxiliary color developer. The developer amount in the first pixel is a total amount of the one or more basic color developers and the auxiliary color developer in the first pixel when the one or more basic color developers and the auxiliary color developer are disposed on each other. The image forming section forms an image on a transfer print medium on the basis of the pieces of processed image data processed.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section. The image forming section includes: a first toner image forming unit that forms a textile printing toner image with a textile printing toner; and a second toner image forming unit that forms a first dyeing-target toner image with a dyeing-target toner. The image forming section disposes the textile printing toner image and the first dyeing-target toner image in this order on a print medium. The textile printing toner includes a textile printing dye. The dyeing-target toner includes a polymer compound that is to be dyed with the textile printing dye.

The present disclosure relates to a process for printing a substrate. The process comprises applying an analogue primer over a print substrate. A transparent electrophotographic composition comprising a coupling agent is electrophotographically printed on the primer as a coupling layer. An electrophotographic ink composition is then printed on the coupling layer to form an image layer. The coupling layer is disposed between the primer and image layer and in contact with each of the primer and image layer.