Image printing apparatus and image printing method

An image printing apparatus comprising:

• an applying unit configured to apply a plurality of color materials including at least color material of cyan, color material of magenta, and color material of light blue to a print medium;
• and
• an adjusting unit configured to adjust relative position between the applying unit and the print medium;
• wherein the color material of cyan, the color material of magenta and the color material of light blue satisfies:
• ΔLC<ΔLM and
• h(C+M)<hB≤hM−(hM−h(C+M))/2
• where ΔLC represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and lightness of a blank area in the print medium, ΔLM represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of magenta and lightness of the blank area in the print medium, and
• hM represents a hue angle on an a*b* plane of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of magenta, h(C+M) represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and the color material of magenta in the same amount, and hB represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of light blue.

An image printing method comprising:

• an adjusting step of adjusting relative position between an applying unit and a print medium;
• and
• an applying step of the applying unit applying a plurality of color materials including at least color material of cyan, color material of magenta, and color material of light blue to a print medium;
• wherein the color material of cyan, the color material of magenta and the color material of light blue satisfies:
• ΔLC<ΔLM and
• h(C+M)<hB≤hM−(hM−h(C+M))/2
• where ΔLC represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and lightness of a blank area in the print medium, ΔLM represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of magenta and lightness of the blank area in the print medium, and
• hM represents a hue angle on an a*b* plane of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of magenta, h(C+M) represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and the color material of magenta in the same amount, and hB represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of light blue.

A printed product comprising:

• a paper substrate, and
• a plurality of color materials deposited on the substrate to form a printed image,
• wherein the plurality of color materials includes at least color material of cyan, color material of magenta, and color material of light blue satisfying:
• ΔLC<ΔLM and
• h(C+M)<hB≤hM−(hM−h(C+M))/2
• where ΔLC represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and lightness of a blank area in the print medium, ΔLM represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of magenta and lightness of the blank area in the print medium, and
• hM represents a hue angle on an a*b* plane of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of magenta, h(C+M) represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and the color material of magenta in the same amount, and hB represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of light blue.

An image printing apparatus comprising:

• an applying unit configured to apply a plurality of color materials including at least color material of cyan, color material of magenta, and color material of light blue to a print medium;
• and
• an adjusting unit configured to adjust relative position between the applying unit and the print medium;
• wherein the color material of cyan, the color material of magenta and the color material of light blue satisfies:
• ΔLC>ΔLM and
• hC+(h(C+M)−hC)/2≤hB<h(C+M)
• where ΔLC represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and lightness of a blank area in the print medium, ΔLM represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of magenta and lightness of the blank area in the print medium, and
• hC represents a hue angle on an a*b* plane of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan, h(C+M) represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and the color material of magenta in the same amount, and hB represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of light blue.

An image printing method comprising:

• an adjusting step of adjusting relative position between an applying unit and a print medium;
• and
• an applying step of the applying unit applying a plurality of color materials including at least color material of cyan, color material of magenta, and color material of light blue to a print medium;
• wherein the color material of cyan, the color material of magenta and the color material of light blue satisfies:
• ΔLC>ΔLM and
• hC+(h(C+M)−hC)/2≤hB<h(C+M)
• where ΔLC represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and lightness of a blank area in the print medium, ΔLM represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of magenta and lightness of the blank area in the print medium, and
• hC represents a hue angle on an a*b* plane of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan, h(C+M) represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and the color material of magenta in the same amount, and hB represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of light blue.

A printed product comprising:

• a paper substrate, and
• a plurality of color materials deposited on the substrate to form a printed image,
• wherein the plurality of color materials includes at least color material of cyan, color material of magenta, and color material of light blue satisfying:
• ΔLC>ΔLM and
• hC+(h(C+M)−hC)/2≤hB<h(C+M)
• where ΔLC represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and lightness of a blank area in the print medium, ΔLM represents a difference between lightness of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of magenta and lightness of the blank area in the print medium, and
• hC represents a hue angle on an a*b* plane of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan, h(C+M) represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of cyan and the color material of magenta in the same amount, and hB represents a hue angle of the image printed on the print medium with the color material of light blue.