To suppress color moire in a color image recording apparatus, a method for recording a color image by forming record dots of at least first through third colors on a recording medium in a plurality of lines of record dots each extending in a main scan direction and a plurality of rows of record dots each extending in a sub-scan direction, includes the step of forming the record dots of first through third colors with a different disposition pattern effective to avoid the occurrence of color moire. In a preferred embodiment, the disposition pattern of the record dots of one of the three colors comprises an ordinary zigzag printing pattern in which selected ones of the record dots in each line of record dots are shifted in the sub-scan direction by a uniform amount, the disposition pattern of the record dots of another one of the three colors comprises a modified ordinary zigzag pattern in which a dot pitch between lines of record dots in the sub-scan direction is a non-integer multiple of the dot pitch of the ordinary zigzag printing pattern, and the disposition pattern of the remaining one of the three colors comprises a modified ordinary zigzag pattern in which corresponding record dots in adjacent lines of record dots are closer to each other than are the record dots in adjacent rows.