An image development method and apparatus in which image-wise charging of a toner layer (58) is accomplished by induced air breakdown electrical discharge such that free mobile ions are introduced in the vicinity of an electrostatic latent image coated with a layer of developing material. The latent image causes the free mobile ions to flow in an image-wise ion stream corresponding to the latent image, which, in turn, leads to image-wise charging of the toner layer (58), such that the toner layer (58) itself becomes the latent image carrier. The latent image carrying toner layer is subsequently developed and transferred to a copy substrate to produce an output document (70).