Printing process in which a substrate to be printed is disposed opposite an ink carrier having an ink layer, wherein the ink layer is regionally heated in such a way that bulges are formed in the ink layer, wherein the bulges contact the substrate and wherein ink splitting is brought about by relative movement between substrate and ink carrier.

Printing process in which a substrate to be printed is disposed opposite an ink carrier having an ink layer, wherein the ink layer is regionally heated in such a way that bulges are formed in the ink layer, wherein the bulges contact the substrate and wherein ink splitting is brought about by relative movement between substrate and ink carrier.

Proposed are a thermal transfer ribbon and a sticker printing method using the same, which can form not only full-color images formed by a color ink part but also points, such as pearl, fluorescent, luminous, sparkling, glass, and metal glitters. The thermal transfer ribbon includes: a color ink part having a yellow ink part (Y), a magenta ink part (M), and a cyan ink part (C); an overlay part forming an overlay layer to protect a printed surface; and at least one point ink part provided between the color ink part and the overlay part.

A thermal transfer recording sheet includes a base material and, on the base material, a yellow-dye layer containing a yellow dye, a magenta-dye layer containing a magenta dye, and a cyan-dye layer containing a cyan dye. The yellow dye and the cyan dye contain compounds having specific structures.

A coloring compound comprises a triphenylmethane structure having specific substituents.

A coloring compound comprises a triphenylmethane structure having specific substituents.

A thermal transfer recording medium which includes a dye layer having storage stability and sufficient color development properties, and enables improvement in image quality of the printed matter. The thermal transfer recording medium according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate, a heat-resistant lubricating layer provided on a first surface of the substrate, and a dye layer provided on a second surface of the substrate, wherein the dye layer includes a dye, a binder A, and a binder B which contains at least one of polyvinyl butyral and polyvinyl acetal, a solubility parameter of the binder A is within a range of 9.5 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 or more and 12.0 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 or less, and a melting viscosity of the binder A at 200 C. is 400 Pa sec or less.

A thermal transfer recording medium which includes a dye layer having storage stability and sufficient color development properties, and enables improvement in image quality of the printed matter. The thermal transfer recording medium according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate, a heat-resistant lubricating layer provided on a first surface of the substrate, and a dye layer provided on a second surface of the substrate, wherein the dye layer includes a dye, a binder A, and a binder B which contains at least one of polyvinyl butyral and polyvinyl acetal, a solubility parameter of the binder A is within a range of 9.5 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 or more and 12.0 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 or less, and a melting viscosity of the binder A at 200 C. is 400 Pa sec or less.

A thermally expandable sheet includes a base, a thermally expansive layer, and a color adjustment layer. The thermally expansive layer is provided on a first side of the base and includes a thermally expandable material that distends in accordance with an amount of heat absorbed, the heat being generated from a thermal conversion layer that includes a thermal conversion material that converts electromagnetic waves to heat. The color adjustment layer is provided on at least one of the thermally expansive layer and a second side of the base and includes a color adjusting agent. When the thermal conversion layer is provided on the color adjustment layer, the color adjustment layer reduces a visual difference in color between a first region where the thermal conversion layer is provided and a second region where the thermal conversion layer is not provided.

A thermally expandable sheet includes a base, a thermally expansive layer, and a color adjustment layer. The thermally expansive layer is provided on a first side of the base and includes a thermally expandable material that distends in accordance with an amount of heat absorbed, the heat being generated from a thermal conversion layer that includes a thermal conversion material that converts electromagnetic waves to heat. The color adjustment layer is provided on at least one of the thermally expansive layer and a second side of the base and includes a color adjusting agent. When the thermal conversion layer is provided on the color adjustment layer, the color adjustment layer reduces a visual difference in color between a first region where the thermal conversion layer is provided and a second region where the thermal conversion layer is not provided.