A method for printing an image on a printing substrate, a number of portions of fluid printing ink being produced on a printing ink carrier (10) through energy input by a number of image spots (810) of an array (84) of individually controllable VCSEL light sources, and the fluid printing ink being transferred to the printing substrate. A device for inputting energy (80) to a printing-ink carrier (10), includes a number (82) of individually controllable laser light sources which have a modular design consisting of subarrays (86) and are disposed in an array (84), and further includes printing-ink carrier (10) with which is associated an axis of rotation (88) and on the surface of which can be produced a number of image spots (810) of the laser light sources. The subarrays of laser light sources are VCSEL bars (84), and rows of image spots (12) of the VCSEL bars are inclined with respect to the axis of rotation (88).