A recording material which comprises a support which is highly thermally insulating or a support having thereon a highly thermally insulating layer and a heat-sensitive layer which is thermally deformed, foams, colors, discolors, sublimes, evaporates, or becomes transparent, translucent or opaque when exposed to radiation having a high energy density such as a laser beam and an electron beam on the highly thermally insulating support or on the highly thermally insulating layer on the support.