PURPOSE: To generally employ advantages of conventional essential four recording systems, to provide a low-cost and small-sized structure, and to process printing of high image quality for any sheet at a high speed by recording by using heat-fusible ink solid at the ordinary temperature.

CONSTITUTION: An image is formed by the steps of heating a heat-fusible or phase transferable ink layer 28 formed on a conductive support 27 of an ink supply conveyor 26 by a thermal head 31 in response to an image signal, locally fusing or phase-transferring the heated layer 28 to be liquefied, flying only ink of the liquefied layer 28 to a recording sheet 34 by an electrostatic attraction force by a transfer electric field by using a transfer electric field forming roller 32 before cooling to solidify it, and transferring it in a noncontact state.