PRINTING APPARATUS USING DARK-LIGHT INK, CARTRIDGE USED IN THE APPARATUS, METHOD FOR RECORDING IMAGE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve quality of images, express a low-density area of an original image and make an improvement at an area where a low-density area changes to a high-density area, by inputting through an input means a gradation signal of an image to be printed and obtaining recording densities of light and dark ink dots of two or more kinds by a dot generation means based on the signal. SOLUTION: Ink discharge heads 61-66 are formed at a printing head 28 below a carriage and ink introduction pipes 71-76 are erected. A color nozzle array (n) of each color is arranged at each head 61-66. When a printing process is started, a control apparatus scans each pixel, inputs a color-corrected gradation of one pixel, and generates dark-level data from a table which sets a ratio of recordings by light and dark inks to gradation data of an original image. A high-density ink is started to be mixed before a recording density of dots of a low-density ink becomes maximum, thereby realizing more smooth gradational expression.