Patent ID: 7608377

Claim:
An image forming method comprising: forming a latent electrostatic image on a latent electrostatic image bearing member; developing the latent electrostatic image using a toner to form a visible image; transferring the visible image to a recording medium; and fixing a transfer image transferred on the recording medium, wherein the toner comprises a toner base particle containing at least a binder resin, a colorant and inorganic fine particles, and a charge control agent, and wherein the condition X surf >X total is satisfied (where X surf represents an average proportion of the inorganic fine particles present in a near-surface region of the toner base particle, and X total represents an average proportion of the inorganic fine particles present in the whole toner base particle), wherein the average proportion X surf is an average proportion of the inorganic fine particles present in the toner base particle in a region within 200 nm from the surface thereof.