Method for forming a direct positive color image

Abstract

A method for forming a direct positive color image by image-wise exposing to light a light-sensitive material having at least one internal latent image type silver halide emulsion layer which is unfogged and color image-forming couplers on a support; either (1) subjecting the resulting material to fogging exposure to light and/or processing it with a nucleating agent before development, and then developing the resulting material with a surface developing solution containing an aromatic primary amine type color developing agent, or (2) developing the material after the image-wise exposure with a surface developing solution containing an aromatic primary amine type color developing agent under fogging exposure and/or in the presence of a nucleating agent; and bleach-fixing the resulting material, wherein the color developing solution contains at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following general formulae (I), (II), (III) and (IV): ##STR1## wherein X represents --CO--, --SO.sub.2 -- or ##STR2## and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represents various familiar group; ##STR3## wherein R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 represent various familiar groups; ##STR4## wherein R.sup.7 and R.sup.8 represent various familiar groups; ##STR5## wherein Y represents a trivalent atomic group necessary for completing a condensed ring, m represents an integer of 0 to 4, and n represents an integer of 1 to 5. Stability of the color developing solutions with time lapse is excellent, which makes stable continuous process of color photographic light-sensitive materials possible over a long period.