Disclosed herein is a pigment ink comprising self-dispersing type carbon black to the surface of which at least one hydrophilic group is bonded through another atomic group, an aqueous medium, and a silicon compound. The pigment ink can form images excellent in fastness properties such as water fastness and light fastness and character quality, can be efficiently ejected when applied to ink-jet recording and can also be stably ejected from a recording head irrespective of recording head and printing environment.