in a disclosed color image recording apparatus , an elongated , web - like continuous intermediate image sheet is used as a master mask plate for forming a latent image of an original on a photosensitive pressure - sensitive recording sheet . on the master mask plate , there are separately recorded three images of one of the three color components , i . e . blue , green and red . the recording sheet is exposed to light through the respective mask plates to superpose the latent images thereon . the respective color latent images are formed in a predetermined order . the superposed latent images thereon are then developed under pressure to provide a visible image . since the order of the latent image formation is not interchangeable , a bar code representing the order thereof is printed on the mask plate , whereby upon reading the bar code with an optical reader , the latent images are formed in the predetermined order on the recording sheet even if the mask plate is inserted in reverse order . the bar code may further contain an information regarding exposure condition , so that the exposure condition which varies depending upon the kind of the intermediate image sheet can automatically be controlled in response to the information represented by the bar code .