Patent ID: 6866358

Claim:
An ink jet printing method of performing printing by repeating an operation of scanning a printing head having a plurality of ink ejection openings to a printing medium and an operation of transporting the printing medium, so as to eject ink from the printing head to the printing medium, said method comprising: a providing step for providing a first roller located upstream of the printing head in a direction in which the printing medium is transported, so as to hold and transport the printing medium, and a second roller located downstream of the printing head in the transported direction of the printing medium, so as to hold and transport the printing medium; a first printing step for, when the printing medium is in a state of not being held by said second roller but being held by said first roller, performing printing to both of a first area of the printing medium which extends out from a front edge of the printing medium in the transported direction and a second area on the printing medium which is located inside the front edge; a second printing step for, when the printing medium is in a state of being held by said first and second rollers, performing printing only to the second area on the printing medium; and a third printing step for, when the printing medium is in a state of not being held by said second roller but being held by said first roller, performing printing only to the second area on the printing medium, wherein, when said first printing step performs printing, the number of ejection openings used for one scanning operation is reduced compared to when said second printing step performs printing, and wherein, when said third printing step performs printing, the number of the ejection openings used for one scanning operation is reduced compared to when said second printing step performs printing.