An image forming method comprising the steps of: forming an electrostatic latent image by exposure with an exposure light (3; L) of a light scanning means onto a rotating image carrier (1; 30) charged by a charging means (2; 70); visualizing the electrostatic latent image as a toner image; transferring the toner image to a transfer member by applying a bias voltage by means of a transfer bias roller; removing toner remaining on said rotating image carrier (1; 30) following transfer with a cleaning blade, and irradiating an exposure light (3; L) onto the image carrier (1; 30) after the position on the rotating image carrier, where the bias voltage (a) was applied has passed the cleaning blade due to the rotation of the image carrier, characterized in that a coating roller is arranged on the image carrier in a position between the area where the charging means is arranged and the area onto which the exposure light (3; L) is irradiated, wherein a solid lubricant contacts the coating roller, wherein the lubricant is transferred to the coating roller as a result of the rotation of the coating roller and, thereafter, is coated from the coating roller onto the image carrier, wherein the lubricant coated on the image carrier by the coating roller is made uniform and level by a coating blade arranged in contact with the image carrier on the downstream side of the coating roller in the direction of rotation of the image carrier, wherein in the same way as for the cleaning blade, taking the position of the applied bias voltage on the image carrier when application of the bias voltage on the transfer bias roller is initiated as (a), the exposure light (3; L) is irradiated onto the image carrier after the position on the rotating image carrier where the bias voltage was applied (a) has passed the coating blade in order to simultaneously satisfy exposure initiation conditions for the cleaning blade and the coating blade. forming an electrostatic latent image by exposure with an exposure light (3; L) of a light scanning means onto a rotating image carrier (1; 30) charged by a charging means (2; 70); visualizing the electrostatic latent image as a toner image; transferring the toner image to a transfer member by applying a bias voltage by means of a transfer bias roller; removing toner remaining on said rotating image carrier (1; 30) following transfer with a cleaning blade, and irradiating an exposure light (3; L) onto the image carrier (1; 30) after the position on the rotating image carrier, where the bias voltage (a) was applied has passed the cleaning blade due to the rotation of the image carrier, characterized in that a coating roller is arranged on the image carrier in a position between the area where the charging means is arranged and the area onto which the exposure light (3; L) is irradiated, wherein a solid lubricant contacts the coating roller, wherein the lubricant is transferred to the coating roller as a result of the rotation of the coating roller and, thereafter, is coated from the coating roller onto the image carrier, wherein the lubricant coated on the image carrier by the coating roller is made uniform and level by a coating blade arranged in contact with the image carrier on the downstream side of the coating roller in the direction of rotation of the image carrier, wherein in the same way as for the cleaning blade, taking the position of the applied bias voltage on the image carrier when application of the bias voltage on the transfer bias roller is initiated as (a), the exposure light (3; L) is irradiated onto the image carrier after the position on the rotating image carrier where the bias voltage was applied (a) has passed the coating blade in order to simultaneously satisfy exposure initiation conditions for the cleaning blade and the coating blade.