To realize the repetition of an image formation by a simple constitution and provide a good quality image through the reduction and prevention of fogging by a method wherein a photoisomerizable material is applied to a printing plate as a latent image forming material.

In the printing plate, in which a latent image is formed on the printing plate 4 by selective exposure in response to image information, then the latent image is developed by ink 14 and finally, the developed image is transferred to a sheet 18, the predetermined pattern of the latent image forming member including the photoisomerizable material, the wetting properties to the ink 14 of which vary reversibly, is formed on the surface of the printing plate 4 under the condition that the surface energy of the surface of the printing plate except the pattern is set to be lower than the surface energy of the ink- philic portion of the pattern.