PURPOSE: To eliminate an increase in printing energy by improving running properties, by a method wherein the surface of a heat-meltable ink layer having a lubricant dispersed and contained therein is contacted with the back surface of a base material to bleed out the lubricant which is, in turn, transferred to the back surface of the base material.

CONSTITUTION: A thermal transfer recording material 1 having a base material 2 and a heat-meltable ink layer 3 containing a lubricant is wound around a reel 10 to contact the upper surface and under surface thereof, that is, the surface of the heat-meltable ink layer 3 and the back surface 2a of the base material 2 with each other, and the lubricant is bled out from the heat-meltable ink layer 3 to be transferred to the back surface 2a of the base material 2 to form a lubricant layer 4 thereon. At the time of use, the thermal transfer recording material 1 is wound around the reel 10 to be mounted to a cassette and successively drawn out to the place of a thermal head from the outer peripheral end thereof. At this time, since the lubricant layer 4 on the back surface of the base material 2 contacts with a guide pin, contact resistance does not become high and running properties are improved.