Image forming apparatus and image forming method

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an electrostatic latent image holding member;
• a charging device that charges the surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member;
• a latent image forming device that forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member;
• a developing device that stores a liquid developer containing a toner and a non-volatile carrier liquid, and develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member by the liquid developer to form a toner image;
• a transfer device that transfers the toner image onto a surface of an impermeable recording medium;
• and
• a fixing device that heats and presses the toner image transferred to the surface of the recording medium and fixes the toner image to the recording medium,
• wherein when the SP value of the toner is set as SP(t), the SP value of the non-volatile carrier liquid is set as SP(c), and the SP value of the recording medium is set as SP(m), an absolute value of a difference between SP(t) and SP(c) is from 1.5 to 7.0 and the following relational expression (A) is satisfied:
• |SP(c)−SP(m)|>|SP(t)−SP(m)|. Relational expression (A)