An image forming apparatus comprises: a holding unit that holds a medium on which an image is formed by irradiation of image-bearing light, the medium having a liquid crystal layer, a photoconductor layer that changes a resistance in response to irradiation of light, and a pair of electrode layers provided in an opposing relation so as to sandwich the liquid crystal layer and photoconductor layer, with at least one of the pair of electrode layers being divided into stripe-shaped sub-electrode layers; an irradiating unit that irradiates the medium with image-bearing light linearly along a longitudinal direction of the sub-electrode layers; a transporting unit that transports the irradiating unit along the surface of the medium in a first or second direction; a power supply unit that applies a voltage between the sub-electrode layer and the electrode layer; and an optical shielding unit that shields the photoconductor layer.