An image recording method comprising: a step of preparing an impermeable base material; a step of preparing a pretreatment liquid containing water and an aggregating agent the content of water being in the range of 50% by mass or more to 90% by mass with respect to the total amount of the pretreatment liquid; a step of preparing an ink containing water and a colorant; a step of determining whether a surface energy of the impermeable base material is less than 50 mN/m or greater than 50 mN/m; a step of deciding a heating and drying condition for heating and drying the pretreatment liquid as a condition A in which a percentage of a mass of the pretreatment liquid after being heated and dried to a mass of the pretreatment liquid before being heated and dried is 30% or greater in a case where the surface energy of the impermeable base material is determined to be less than 50 mN/m and deciding a heating and drying condition for heating and drying the pretreatment liquid as a condition B in which a percentage of a mass of the pretreatment liquid after being heated and dried to a mass of the pretreatment liquid before being heated and dried is less than 50% in a case where the surface energy of the impermeable base material is determined to be 50 mN/m or greater; a step of applying the pretreatment liquid to the impermeable base material; a step of heating and drying the pretreatment liquid applied to the impermeable base material under the heating and drying condition decided in the step of the deciding; and a step of applying the ink to at least a part of a surface of the impermeable base material after the heating and drying, onto which the pretreatment liquid has been applied, to record an image. a step of preparing an impermeable base material; a step of preparing a pretreatment liquid containing water and an aggregating agent the content of water being in the range of 50% by mass or more to 90% by mass with respect to the total amount of the pretreatment liquid; a step of preparing an ink containing water and a colorant; a step of determining whether a surface energy of the impermeable base material is less than 50 mN/m or greater than 50 mN/m; a step of deciding a heating and drying condition for heating and drying the pretreatment liquid as a condition A in which a percentage of a mass of the pretreatment liquid after being heated and dried to a mass of the pretreatment liquid before being heated and dried is 30% or greater in a case where the surface energy of the impermeable base material is determined to be less than 50 mN/m and deciding a heating and drying condition for heating and drying the pretreatment liquid as a condition B in which a percentage of a mass of the pretreatment liquid after being heated and dried to a mass of the pretreatment liquid before being heated and dried is less than 50% in a case where the surface energy of the impermeable base material is determined to be 50 mN/m or greater; a step of applying the pretreatment liquid to the impermeable base material; a step of heating and drying the pretreatment liquid applied to the impermeable base material under the heating and drying condition decided in the step of the deciding; and a step of applying the ink to at least a part of a surface of the impermeable base material after the heating and drying, onto which the pretreatment liquid has been applied, to record an image.