PURPOSE: To perform recording in the same state without controlling the energy applied to a thermal head on the basis of whether the transfer of ink is performed, by providing a composition having constituents almost the same as those of heat-meltable ink containing no colorant.

CONSTITUTION: Beside strip like ink bands 32W34 of three colors C,M, Y of a tape like ink ribbon, a band 31 of a composition having constituents almost the same as those of the ink of each ink band containing no colorant is provided. When a color image is recorded, the composition band 31 is at first transferred to image receiving paper and, thereafter, color inks C, M, Y are successively transferred. As mentioned above, by transferring the composition band 31 to the image receiving paper at first, even if either one of the color inks C, M, Y is transferred to the image receiving paper, because of such a state that the ink was already transferred, the same state as such as case that ink is transferred so as to be superposed onto transferred color inks is obtained.