Image processing apparatus and method for reducing coloring between color ink and clear ink on a pixel region

An image processing apparatus configured to convert image data into color material data including (i) color material data indicating a color material amount of a chromatic color material and (ii) color material data indicating a color material amount of an achromatic color material, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a processor coupled to a memory;
• a conversion unit configured to convert image data of a region of interest in an image into the color material data of the chromatic color material;
• and
• a determination unit configured to determine the color material data of the achromatic color material corresponding to the image data so that a color indicated by coloring information corresponding to the image data of the region of interest in the image approaches an achromatic color,
• wherein the region of interest is a region comprising a plurality of pixels,
• wherein the determination unit determines the color material data of the achromatic color material on the region of interest by using a combination such that coloring information pieces corresponding to respective image data pieces of the plurality of pixels cancel out each other, and
• wherein the conversion unit and the determination unit are implemented by the processor.