Ink-jet recording of images with improved clarity of images

An ink-jet image recording apparatus, comprising:

• a sheet feed mechanism feeding a recording sheet along a sheet feed path;
• an image transfer medium disposed in said sheet feed path so as to make a contact with said recording sheet transported through said sheet feed path, said image transfer medium being moved along a circuitous path;
• an ink-jet recording head provided adjacent to said image transfer medium so as to record an image thereon, by projecting ink droplets to said image transfer medium;
• an ink viscosity adjusting mechanism provided on said image transfer medium, said ink viscosity adjusting mechanism providing a substance layer on said image transfer medium at an upstream side of said circuitous path with respect to said ink-jet recording head, such that said ink-jet recording head records said image on said image transfer medium through said substance layer,
• wherein said substance layer increases a viscosity of said ink droplet when contacted with said ink droplet.