A transfer material is provided that can be more firmly attached to an image substrate without deteriorating printing characteristics concerning image bleeding, printing resolution, and the like. An ink receiving layer is of a gap-absorbing type. An adhesive layer includes discretely disposed adhesive pieces provided on a surface of the ink receiving layer so as to leave exposed portions on the surface of the ink receiving layer.

A printed matter is provided. The printed matter comprises a print medium and a print layer on the print medium. The print medium comprises a porous layer having an average pore diameter of from 100 to 400 nm and an average thickness of from 1 to 50 m. The print layer comprises silver and an aliphatic compound having amino group and hydroxyl group, and has an average thickness of from 50 to 300 nm.

A transfer material is provided that can be more firmly attached to an image substrate without deteriorating printing characteristics concerning image bleeding, printing resolution, and the like. An ink receiving layer is of a gap-absorbing type. An adhesive layer includes discretely disposed adhesive pieces provided on a surface of the ink receiving layer so as to leave exposed portions on the surface of the ink receiving layer.

A transfer material is provided that can be more firmly attached to an image substrate without deteriorating printing characteristics concerning image bleeding, printing resolution, and the like. An ink receiving layer is of a gap-absorbing type. An adhesive layer includes discretely disposed adhesive pieces provided on a surface of the ink receiving layer so as to leave exposed portions on the surface of the ink receiving layer.

A printed matter is provided. The printed matter comprises a print medium and a print layer on the print medium. The print medium comprises a porous layer having an average pore diameter of from 100 to 400 nm and an average thickness of from 1 to 50 m. The print layer comprises silver and an aliphatic compound having amino group and hydroxyl group, and has an average thickness of from 50 to 300 nm.

An image forming method including preparing a thermal transfer sheet having a dye layer on a substrate, the dye layer containing a sublimable dye, preparing a decorative seal having a seal base material on a release sheet, the seal base material having a layered structure of an adhesive layer and a film layered in this order from the release sheet side, the film containing a resin having a dyeing affinity to the sublimable dye contained in the dye layer, and the film having an elongation percentage of not less than 150% and not more than 400% when determined by a test method in conformity with JIS-K-7127:1999, and thermally transferring the sublimable dye in the dye layer onto the seal base material by sublimation thermal transfer process, thereby forming a thermal transfer image on the seal base material.

A transfer material is provided that can be more firmly attached to an image substrate without deteriorating printing characteristics concerning image bleeding, printing resolution, and the like. An ink receiving layer is of a gap-absorbing type. An adhesive layer includes discretely disposed adhesive pieces provided on a surface of the ink receiving layer so as to leave exposed portions on the surface of the ink receiving layer.

An image forming method including preparing a thermal transfer sheet having a dye layer on a substrate, the dye layer containing a sublimable dye, preparing a decorative seal having a seal base material on a release sheet, the seal base material having a layered structure of an adhesive layer and a film layered in this order from the release sheet side, the film containing a resin having a dyeing affinity to the sublimable dye contained in the dye layer, and the film having an elongation percentage of not less than 150% and not more than 400% when determined by a test method in conformity with JIS-K-7127:1999, and thermally transferring the sublimable dye in the dye layer onto the seal base material by sublimation thermal transfer process, thereby forming a thermal transfer image on the seal base material.