An ink jet printing head comprising a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles successively arranged in a row. An airflow chamber is in communication with the nozzles for discharging air and ink therethrough to a writing surface and connected to a source of pressurized air for causing an airstream to make sharp turns at the entry into the nozzles creating a plurality of sharp pressure gradients. A liquid chamber is located behind the airflow chamber and connected to a source of ink. A meniscus forming member is located between the air and liquid chambers for causing the ink to form at least one meniscus by surface tension over an area extending parallel with the row of nozzles. Under the influence of the pressure gradients the meniscus of the ink is contoured into a plurality of surfaces convexed toward the nozzles. Electric fields are selectively established between the nozzles and the convexed surfaces for causing the ink to extend toward the corresponding nozzles to be torn apart into droplets which are discharged through the nozzles to the writing surface.