PURPOSE: To control a recording color by selecting a thermal transfer material, by a method wherein the time required before the thermal transfer material is released is regulated to control the number of ink layers transferred from the thermal transfer material and the color of the thermal transfer material of the uppermost layer transferred to a recording medium is altered to perform multicolor recording.

CONSTITUTION: The time required before an ink ribbon 22 is released from a recording medium 30 after receiving thermal transfer corresponds to the time taken when a carriage table 20 moves over the distance between the arm 25 positioned on the rear side with respect to the running direction of the carriage table and a thermal head 10. Therefore, by setting the relative position of two thermal heads 10, the time from thermal transfer to release is regulated. Since the ink ribbon 22 is released at the position of the arm 26 after the elapse of the time necessary for the carriage table to move over the distance between the thermal head 10 and the arm 26, both of second ink layer and first ink layer 2 are transferred to the recording medium 30. That is, recording is performed on the recording medium 30 in the color of the first ink layer.