Abstract: In image formation, one of a plurality of print modes having different allowable print-material discharge amounts is selected. Color image data inputted by an image generator is converted by a LOG converter into CMY data. An UCR & black-generation processor performs density control on the CMY data by each color component, and performs under-color removal and black-generation processing on the density-controlled image data. The UCR & black-generation processor controls a total amount value of the output image data, based on the allowable print-material discharge amount of the selected print mode. The obtained image data is &ggr; corrected and binarized, then outputted to a printer.

Abstract: In image formation, one of a plurality of print modes having different allowable print-material discharge amounts is selected. Color image data inputted by an image generator is converted by a LOG converter into CMY data. An UCR & black-generation processor performs density control on the CMY data by each color component, and performs under-color removal and black-generation processing on the density-controlled image data. The UCR & black-generation processor controls a total amount value of the output image data, based on the allowable print-material discharge amount of the selected print mode. The obtained image data is &ggr; corrected and binarized, then outputted to a printer.

Abstract: A solid area and edges are detected from original data to be printed. An arbitrary raster of the solid area is shifted by a unit of dot-to-dot distance corresponding to a resolution having twice the dot density of the resolution of the original data, while preserving the data representing the edges so that the edges remain unchanged. Printing is performed on the basis of the above shifted data. The shifting of the dot data prevents the generation of mist and makes it possible to print a high-quality image at a high speed. Thus, the invention provides a printing method and apparatus capable of forming a high-quality image at a high speed.