Thermal sublimation card printers and associated method for printing image onto a card are disclosed. One proposed method includes receiving target image data; moving a card; transferring dyes of a ribbon onto the card according to the target image data while moving the card; detecting the movement of the card; when the card has moved a predetermined distance, determining image characteristics corresponding to remaining image data of the target image data that has not printed yet; determining image content to be printed onto remaining area of the card according to determined image characteristics; and transferring dyes of the ribbon onto the remaining area of the card according to the image content.