Patent ID: 7731346

Claim:
An ink-jet recording method for forming an image by applying ink to a recording medium, the ink comprising at least water, a colorant and a surfactant, the content of the surfactant being higher than or equal to the critical micelle concentration of the surfactant, and the ink used having a surface tension lower than or equal to the critical surface tension of the recording medium, the method comprising the steps of: applying the ink on the recording medium; and increasing the surface tension of the ink to a surface tension higher than the critical surface tension of the recording medium after contacting the recording medium, wherein the critical surface tension of the recording medium is 26 to 44 mN/m, wherein the colorant is a pigment, and the surfactant is an anionic surfactant, and wherein the anionic surfactant has a critical micelle concentration of lower than or equal to 0.0005 mol/L.