PURPOSE: To enable to perform real time recording with a simple construction, by a method wherein recording in the first color of a thermal transfer film is conducted on a real time basis, and then recording in the second color and recording in the third color are conducted at high speed while sequentially returning a recording paper.

CONSTITUTION: The first color Y part of the thermal transfer film 1 is matched to the position of a thermal head, recording is started in this condition, and the recording paper 2 is fed at a predetermined velocity. At this time, a CPU stores input signals S1... into an RAM through preamplifiers PA1... and A/D converters AD1..., and effects real time recording. When recording with the color Y part is completed by feeding the paper 2 by a predetermined length and the color Y part is replaced by a color M part, the paper 2 is rewound to the initial position, then it is fed at a high velocity together with the color M part to record overlappingly, and overlapping recording in a color C is similarly conducted. Thereafter, recording is conducted at high speed in a manner similar to that of recording in the second and third colors, and real time recording is immediately restarted. Accordingly, real time recording can be performed with a simple construction.