Abstract: An electrostatic image forming method, which comprises uniformly charging the surface of an electrostatic image forming material comprising both (1) surface portions each having an insulating surface and on the surface of an insulating support in a pattern-like manner and (2) conductive layer portions each having a conductive surface and formed on the remaining areas of the surface of the insulating support in a manner that the conductive layer portions are electrically isolated from the earth, grounding the surface of the charged conductive layer portions to the earth with a potential difference being maintained which prevents a possible discharge from occuring between the conductive layer portions, which are being grounded and which are to be grounded, thereby removing the charges from the charged conductive layer portions so that the charges in the surfaces of the insulating surface portions remain forming the latent electrostatic image; and an electrostatic image forming apparatus including in addition to