Abstract: An ink jet recording ink including a pigment; water; and water-soluble compounds. The pigment comprises a resin-dispersed pigment dispersed with a (meth)acrylate-based random copolymer having an acid value of 100-160 mgKOH/g. The water-soluble compounds include at least ethylene urea and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient defined by the following equation (A) of 0.37 or less The total content of the water-soluble compounds is 22-50 mass % with respect to the total amount of the ink The content of the ethylene urea is 11.0 mass % or more with respect to the total amount of the ink, and the proportion of the amount of the ethylene urea in the total amount of the water-soluble compounds is 50% by mass or less, Hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient=((water activity value of 20% aqueous solution)?(molar fraction of water in 20% aqueous solution))/(1?(molar fraction of water in 20% aqueous solution))??Equation (A).

Abstract: An ink jet recording ink including a coloring material; water; and three kinds of water-soluble compounds. The content of the water is 70 mass % or more with respect to the total amount of the ink. Each water-soluble compound has a molecular weight of 80 or more and is a liquid compound having a vapor pressure at 20° C. of 5 Pa or less or a solid compound, and at least one kind of the water-soluble compounds is a solid compound. In case that the water-soluble compounds are mixed at a ratio at which the water-soluble compounds are incorporated into the ink to provide a mixture, a 40% aqueous solution of the mixture has a water activity value of 0.88-0.91 and a viscosity of 3.3 mPa·s or less. The total content of the water-soluble compounds in the ink is 20-25 mass % with respect to the total amount of the ink.

Abstract: An ink jet recording ink including a pigment; water; and water-soluble compounds. The pigment comprises a resin-dispersed pigment dispersed with a (meth)acrylate-based random copolymer having an acid value of 100-160 mgKOH/g. The water-soluble compounds include at least ethylene urea and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient defined by the following equation (A) of 0.37 or less The total content of the water-soluble compounds is 22-50 mass % with respect to the total amount of the ink The content of the ethylene urea is 11.0 mass % or more with respect to the total amount of the ink, and the proportion of the amount of the ethylene urea in the total amount of the water-soluble compounds is 50% by mass or less, Hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient=((water activity value of 20% aqueous solution)?(molar fraction of water in 20% aqueous solution))/(1?(molar fraction of water in 20% aqueous solution)) ??Equation (A).