A specific color field recognition apparatus and method are disclosed. A mechanism fetches a first image including a specific color and a second image with the specific color eliminated therefrom by picking up an image of an object having a specific color field to be recognized. A device produces a first density histogram and a second density histogram representing the number of pixels for each tone with respect to the first image and the second image, respectively. A converter determines a plurality of local maxima in the first and second images and converts the density of the first and second images in such a manner at the first image a background portion which is lowest density of the local maxima represents minimum of the gradation field, label portion which is highest density of the local maxima represents maximum of the gradation area, at the second image the background portion density represents lowest density of the gradation field, the letter density which is maximum of the local maxima represents a value which is inverted highest pixels of the local maxima of the first image.