An image processing apparatus includes: a limited color conversion processing section that extracts a plurality of pieces of color information making up image information and executes conversion to specific colors to which the color information belongs; a by-color separation processing section that separates for each specific color, image information converted into the specific colors by the limited color conversion processing section; a compression processing section that compresses for each color, the image information for each specific color separated by the by-color separation processing section; and a layered structure forming processing section that collectively outputs the image information for each color compressed by the compression processing section.