To provide a printing plate material having impressing-out properties enough for a general purpose thermal processless plate, scratching scumming resistance, scumming of non-image part and plate wearability, and a printing method employing the printing plate material.

The printing plate material has a layer A and a layer B in the order on a base material and either one layer provided on the base material includes photothermal conversion element. The layer A is one which improves the mechanical strength of the printing plate by the heat developed through infrared laser exposure and the layer B is one which is substantially insoluble in water and shows non-swelling by water.

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