Image forming process

A process of forming an image, comprising at least the steps of:

• developing an electrostatic latent image with a toner, the latent image being formed through charge of the surface of an electrostatic latent image carrier and exposure of the surface to light;
• and
• applying a lubricant onto the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier,
• wherein the toner comprises at least a toner matrix particle and an external additive nanoparticle,
• the external additive nanoparticle comprises a silica-polymer composite nanoparticle, and
• a percentage of atomic silicon present on the surface of the silica-polymer composite nanoparticle satisfies at least Condition A expressed by Expression:
• 15.0 atm %≦percentage of atomic silicon ({Si/(C+O+Si)}×100)≦30.0 atm %, the percentage of atomic silicon being determined from total amounts of atomic carbon, oxygen, and silicon present on the topmost surface of the silica-polymer composite nanoparticle and within 3 nm inwards from the topmost surface, the percentages of the atoms being determined with an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer.