Abstract: A recording apparatus is provided for performing recording of an image on a recording medium using a plurality of recording heads disposed at a predetermined interval in a scanning direction. The recording apparatus includes a scanning element for causing the plurality of recording heads to scan corresponding divided recording regions of an entire recording region of the recording medium. The entire recording region is divided into the recording regions in the scanning direction. The recording apparatus also includes a recording control element for causing the plurality of recording heads to perform one of recording in a first recording mode and a second recording mode when the scanning element causes the plurality of recording heads to scan the corresponding divided recording regions.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for ink jet printing use a print head including a first nozzle group for discharging a first ink, a second nozzle group for discharging a second ink and a third nozzle group for discharging a printability improving solution. The third nozzle group is displaced between the first nozzle group and the second nozzle group. The first nozzle group discharges the first ink on the printing medium based on image data to form an image, the third nozzle group discharges the printability improving solution on the image formed on the printing medium by means of another step, and the second nozzle group discharges the second ink on the image formed on the printing medium. The printability improving solution has higher penetrability into the printing medium compared to the ink.The method and apparatus can attain a clear colored, high density image without color mixing, which has high water resistance on plain paper, with a low running cost.

Abstract: There are provided a color image forming method with liquids, capable of ensuring sharpness and high density in basically all the color images, and a recording apparatus therefor. This invention employs a black ink of relatively superior diffusibility and color inks of relatively superior penetrability, different in color from the black ink, and is characterized by forming the boundary area of a black image area with the color inks instead of the black ink.