An ink-jet recording method and a recording apparatus used in the method detect a blank region of an image, and enable backward printing only when detecting those blanks at the top and bottom ends of a region where printing can be performed by one scan. The ink-jet recording method and the recording apparatus prevent irregular images, that would otherwise be caused by consecutive rows printed by the backward printing, and execute forward and backward printing while reducing the color difference between the printing directions so that a high-quality output can be obtained at high speed. As a result, when ink is ejected before the ejection of a print-characteristic improving liquid, the image quality of a border in contact with a region including the print-characteristic improving liquid in the main-scan direction and the sub-scan direction can be improved.