An ink jet printing method is disclosed, wherein a record is produced by applying varying amounts of ink on a plurality of pixel locations of a record medium, said method comprising the steps:

a) generating an ink jet directed towards said record medium, said ink jet breaking up into a series of drops with a predetermined drop formation rate,
b) applying an electric charge of predetermined magnitude to selected drops,
c) deflecting each charged drop as a function of its charge to determine whether the drop travels along a recording path to reach said recording medium or is intercepted,
d) producing relative transverse movement between said drop path and said recording medium,
e) generating a first signal indicative of the drop formation rate,
f) generating a second signal from said relative movement, the second signal being indicative that pixel position on the record medium is aligned with said drop path,
g) deriving a density value for the aligned pixel position in response to said a second signal,
h) generating a print pulse signal of predetermined length between leading and trailing edges in response to said derived density value and said first signal, said density value controlling the length and said first signal controlling the time of occurrence of the leading edge of said print pulse signal,
i) controlling said charging step (b) by means of said print pulse signal.

To reduce the graininess of the image recorded by the jet, said first and second signals are synchronized to establish a predetermi­ned time relationship between the time at which said density value deriving step (g) occurs and the time when the leading edge of the print pulse occurs.