Image forming method and apparatus for rapidly fixing ink on a recording medium

摘要

There is provided an image forming apparatus which fixes ink in a short time without deteriorating clearness or transparency of the ink. An ink image is formed on a recording medium by the ink containing a resin and a solvent miscible with the resin. An ink curing liquid is applied to contact the ink image on the recording medium. The ink curing liquid is miscible with the solvent, and has a molecular weight greater than a molecular weight of the solvent. Alternatively, an ink curing solid is applied to contact the ink image on the recording medium. The ink curing solid has a swelling property with respect to the solvent contained in the ink.