An ink-jet image recording apparatus including a sheet feed mechanism feeding a recording sheet along a sheet feed path; an ink-jet recording head provided in the sheet feet path so as to record an image on the recording sheet transported through the sheet feed path, by projecting ink droplets to the recording sheet; and an ink viscosity adjusting mechanism provided in the sheet feet path and providing a substance layer on the recording sheet at an upstream side of the recording head, such that the recording head records the image through the substance layer. The ink viscosity adjusting mechanism further removes the substance layer from the recording sheet at a downstream side of the recording head after the image is recorded.