PURPOSE: To improve be quality of printing on a medium on which an image is transferred and which has a low surface smoothness, by forming on a support a first heat-softening layer and a second heat-softening layer containing specified amounts of a heat-meltable substance, a thermoplastic resin and a tackifier.

CONSTITUTION: A first heat-softening layer containing a heat-meltable substance, a thermoplastic resin and, if desired, a coloring material is formed on a support. Preferably be content of the heat-meltable substance is 50wt.% or above and that of the thermoplastic resin is 50wt.% or below. Next a second heat-softening layer is formed on be first layer by applying an aqueous suspension comprising 15W50wt.% heat-meltable substance, 20W80wt.% thermoplastic resin and 5W35wt.% tackifier onto the first layer and forming a film therefrom, thus providing a thermal transfer recording medium. Preferably be second layer further contains a fluorinated surfactant.