Ink jet image-forming method, ink jet color image-forming method and ink jet recording apparatus

An ink jet color image-forming method for forming an image by applying each of at least 4 color inks of black, cyan, magenta and yellow in a fixed amount of from 0.5 pl or more to 6.0 pl or less for each ink to plain paper, wherein:

• each of the 4 color inks comprises a self-dispersion pigment, water, a water-soluble compound having a coefficient of hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity of 0.37 or more as defined by the following equation (A) and a water-soluble compound having a coefficient of hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity of 0.25 or less as defined by the following equation (A), and has a surface tension of 34 mN/m or less, and
• the application of the inks is divided into plural times when an image having a portion where the inks are applied in a duty of 80% or more and in an amount of 5.0 μl/cm2 or less in total is formed in a basic matrix for forming the image, and the amount of the inks applied at each of the times divided is 0.7 μl/cm2 or less:
• Coefficient of hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity=[(Water activity value of a 20% aqueous solution)−(Molar fraction of water in the 20% aqueous solution)]/[1−(Molar fraction of water in the 20% aqueous solution)]. Equation (A)