A polychromic image is reproduced and transferred onto a substrate (26) by (a) providing a single support member (20) having a continuous surface (32) moving at substantially constant speed along a predetermined path; (b) forming on the surface (32) a colored image with a printing ink containing a coloring agent; and (c) bringing a substrate (26) into contact with the colored image to cause transfer of the image from the surface (32) onto the substrate (26) and thereby imprint the substrate with the image. Steps (b) and (c) are repeated several times to define a corresponding number of printing stages arranged at predetermined locations along the aforesaid path and each using a coloring agent of different color, and to thereby produce several differently colored images which are transferred at respective transfer positions onto the substrate (26) in superimposed relation to provide the desired polychromic image.