Dot data for a boundary zone between metallic ink and color ink is changed to increase a time difference between a scan for applying the metallic ink and a scan for applying the color ink. With this change, a fusion time of the metallic ink is ensured, and the occurrence of an image defect is suppressed.

In an image processing apparatus, a processor sets a target printing method for printing a target image to one of a bidirectional printing method and a unidirectional printing method. In a case where the bidirectional printing method is set as the target printing method: the processor executes both a first generation process and a second generation process. The first generation process generates first partial print data by converting a set of partial image data using a first color conversion profile. The second generation process generates second partial print data by converting another set of partial image data using a second color conversion profile. In a case where the unidirectional printing method is set as the target printing method, the processor executes a third generation process generating third partial print data by converting a set of partial image data using a third color conversion profile.

There is provided an image processing apparatus for a print executor, including a controller configured to execute direction determining processing. The direction determining processing including: determining whether a specified condition including a first condition is satisfied, the first condition indicating color difference pixels are present in a first partial image and an intermediate image, as well as the color difference pixels are present in a second partial image and the intermediate image; determining direction of head movement in the first partial printing and direction of head movement in the second partial printing to be same as each other in a case that the specified condition is satisfied, and determining the direction of the head movement in the second partial printing to be opposite to the direction of the head movement in the first partial printing in a case that the specified condition is not satisfied.

A recording device includes a recording unit, a scanning unit, and a recording control unit. The recording unit includes first and second recording parts each having multiple discharge orifice rows that each have multiple discharge orifices arrayed in a predetermined direction. The first recording part and the second recording part are separated from each other in an intersecting direction that intersects the predetermined direction. The scanning unit performs recording scanning by moving the recording unit. The recording control unit performs recording of a region on the recording medium including one edge of the recording medium by the first recording part alone, recording of another region including the other edge of the recording medium by the second recording part alone, and recording of a region in between the two regions using both recording parts.

In a liquid discharge head, a third discharge port array group C1 which discharges a liquid of cyan, a second discharge port array group M1 which discharges a liquid of magenta, a fourth discharge port array group G which discharges a liquid of gray, a first discharge port array group Y which discharges a liquid of yellow, a second discharge port array group M2 which discharges a liquid of magenta, a third discharge port array group C2 which discharges a liquid of cyan are arranged in this order, in a direction. Each of discharge port arrays of the fourth discharge port array group G is formed of a plurality of discharge ports having a diameter smaller than that of a plurality of discharge ports which constitute first discharge port arrays of the second and third discharge port array groups C1, C2, M1 and M2.

Print head for black material is arranged such that the black material is to be ejected later than cyan, magenta, and yellow materials on both of forward and backward strokes, and the print heads for the cyan, magenta, and yellow materials are arranged in tandem in a main-scanning direction. The first processing unit converts input image data into CMY image data and then performs black generation and undercolor removal on the CMY image data, to obtain CMYK image data. The second processing unit converts CMY image data excluding K image data from the CMYK image data into image data for use in printing in the backward direction. The on/off switching unit switches between causing and not causing the second processing unit to covert the CMY image data depending on which one of printing in the forward stroke and printing in the backward stroke is to be performed.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having at least two nozzle lines each having multiple nozzles to discharge different color droplets; a carriage that carries the image forming unit and is configured to reciprocate in the moving direction crossing an arrangement direction of the nozzles; and a control device to control dual-directional printing to form an image using the at least two nozzle lines in an outward and a return of the carriage. The control device executes color difference handling print control for discharging the different color droplets by using, of each of the nozzles in the at least two nozzle lines, the nozzles located at different positions in the arrangement direction of the nozzles while not overlapping in the moving direction of the carriage.

In a printing method in which a base layer is formed with glossy ink or the like, a longer time period for drying the base layer is ensured. A metallic ink nozzle section, a superimposed colored ink nozzle section configured to discharge superimposed colored ink that is to be superimposed onto a metallic ink layer, and a non-superimposed colored ink nozzle section configured to discharge colored ink onto a position at which no metallic ink layer has been formed are provided. The non-superimposed colored ink nozzle section is interposed between the metallic ink nozzle section and the superimposed colored ink nozzle section.

An image forming apparatus includes a head unit that moves in a predetermined scanning direction and on which a first nozzle which discharges first ink including a black color material, a second nozzle which discharges second ink having higher brightness than that of the first ink, and a third nozzle which discharges third ink having higher brightness than that of the first ink are arrayed in the scanning direction, and a control portion. The control portion is set to perform a conversion processing which sets a type and amount of the ink which is discharged from the head unit according to color data included in the image data and use the first ink, the second ink, and the third ink according to the color data of the darkest point in the conversion processing.

According to an example, multi-directional single pass printing may include utilizing a print head that includes slots that include a first slot for a first ink color, and two or more additional slots. A slot of the additional slots may be disposed on a first side of the first slot, and another slot of the additional slots may be disposed on a second side of the first slot. The additional slots may include a further ink color. Data may be forwarded to a set of slots when a direction bit related to the print head is set to a first value, and to another set of slots when the direction bit is set to a second value. A number of channels for forwarding the data to the slots may be less than the number of slots.