Image forming method and apparatus therefor

An image forming method comprising the steps of

• forming a first latent image corresponding to a first color on a region of an image retainer with a first charging means and a first exposing means and developing said first latent image with a developing means containing toner of said first color during a first rotation of said image retainer;
• forming a second latent image corresponding to a second color on said region with a second charging means and a second exposing means and developing said second latent image with a developing means containing toner of said second color during said first rotation of said image retainer;
• forming a third latent image corresponding to a third color on said region of the image retainer with said first charging means and said first exposing means and developing the third latent image with a developing means containing toner of said third color during a second rotation of said image retainer and;
• forming a fourth latent image corresponding to a fourth color on said region with said second charging means and said second exposing means and developing the fourth latent image with a developing means containing toner of said fourth color during said second rotation of said image retainer.

An image forming apparatus comprising;

• first latent image forming means, a first group of developing means, second latent image forming means, and a second group of developing means;
• wherein said first latent image forming means, said first group of developing means, second latent image forming means, and second group of developing means are sequentially arranged opposite the face of an image retainer,
• wherein said first group of developing means and/or said second group of developing means comprises a plurality of developing means,
• wherein a first latent image corresponding to a first color is formed by said first latent image forming means, and developed by said first group of developing means, and a second latent image corresponding to a second color is formed on said image retainer by said second latent image forming means, and developed by said second group of developing means during a first rotation of said image retainer, and a third latent image corresponding to a third color is formed on said image retainer by said first latent image forming means, and developed by said first group of developing means during a second rotation of said image retainer.