Liquid application apparatus and method, and image forming apparatus

A liquid application apparatus, comprising:

• a roller member which is driven so as to rotate in a rotational direction;
• an application liquid supply device which supplies an application liquid onto a portion of the roller member while the roller member is rotating;
• a blade member which is arranged so as to abut against a circumferential surface of the roller member at an abutment position that is on a downstream side of the application liquid supply device in terms of the rotational direction of the roller member, the blade member wiping away an excess of the supplied application liquid on the roller member;
• a substitute fluid spray device which is arranged on a downstream side of the abutment position of the blade member in terms of the rotational direction of the roller member, the substitute fluid spray device spraying a substitute fluid onto a region of the circumferential surface of the roller member at a spraying position so as to remove the application liquid on the region of the circumferential surface of the roller member after passing the abutment position of the blade member, the substitute fluid including one of gas and liquid that is different from the application liquid;
• and
• a substitute fluid spray control device which controls the substitute fluid spray device whether or not to spray the substitute fluid so as to remove the application liquid on the circumferential surface of the roller member selectively in respect of a circumferential direction of the roller member,
• wherein the application liquid remaining on the circumferential surface of the roller member after passing the spraying position of the substitute fluid spray device is applied onto an application receiving body.