Patent ID: 7267716

Claim:
An aqueous ink comprising: an aqueous medium; a water-dispersible coloring material dispersed in the aqueous medium; a water-soluble substance, wherein the water-soluble substance has a crystal-forming property and can hold the water-dispersible coloring material around a crystal thereof; and an organic solvent that dissolves the water-soluble substance, wherein the water-soluble substance is contained at a saturation concentration or more with respect to the organic solvent, wherein the water-dispersible coloring material is contained at a concentration of not less than 0.1% by mass and not more than 1.5% by mass, and wherein the water-soluble substance crystallizes as a water content in the aqueous medium decreases from an initial condition where the coloring material is dispersed and the water-soluble substance is dissolved in the aqueous medium, and the coloring material in the dispersed state aggregates around a crystal of the water-soluble substance as a core.