This ink jet recording apparatus makes it possible to reduce the requisite number of times that preliminary ejection is performed for the purpose of ejection recovery through suction, which must be effected to such a degree as to make color mixing on the recording paper sufficiently inconspicuous. With a plurality of recording heads using inks of different lightnesses, ejection recovery is performed successively on the recording heads in accordance with the descending order of ink lightness. In addition, the number of preliminary ejections after ejection recovery to be performed on the next recording head is also controlled, thereby attaining a still greater effect. In a method aspect, the present invention includes an initial discharge step for discharging ink from a recording head, interrupting the discharge of ink for an appropriate period set in accordance with the ink lightness, and discharging ink again from the discharge ports of the recording head after the interruption.