Bidirectional printing method and apparatus with reduced color unevenness

An apparatus according to recording element, wherein said recording head includes recording elements for applying different color inks arranged in the scanning direction, and said changing means changes the order of applications of the inks to the pixel areas by selecting a scanning direction of the recording head in which the ink is applied to the pixel areas.

A printing apparatus for forming a color image by application of different color inks to a printing material while bi-directionally moving the recording head to scan the recording material, said apparatus comprising:

• changing means for changing an order of applications of inks of different colors to be applied at least at one amount to form a process color in a process color pixel area;
• and
• forming means for forming the process color by making an order of applications of the inks to at least of the secondary color pixel areas arranged in a raster one direction different from the order of another, by said changing means.

A printing apparatus for forming a color image by effecting scanning bi-directional movement of a recording head having recording elements corresponding to different color inks arranged symmetrically in a scanning direction and applying the color inks at different amounts, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of print buffers corresponding to the recording elements arranged symmetrically;
• and
• distributing means for distributing print data for a color to be printed to at least one of the print buffers on the basis of an image signal corresponding to the color image.

A printing method for forming a color image by application of different color inks onto a printing material at different amounts while bi-directionally moving the recording head to scan the printing material, said method comprising:

• a first step of application of ink of a certain color ink at least at one amount to form a secondary color to a secondary color pixel area;
• and
• a second step of application of different color inks to form the secondary color in the secondary color pixel area in an order of applications which is different from the order in the first step.

A print having a color image provided by different color inks, comprising:

• a printing material;
• a plurality of secondary color pixel areas arranged in a predetermined direction on the printing material;
• wherein the plurality of pixel areas are printed by different color inks at least at one amount, and wherein an order of applications of the inks to at least one of the pixel areas is different from the order of another.