An image forming apparatus includes a driving part driving a recording head; a signal generation part generating a common driving signal; and a transfer part transferring image data and control data to the driving part. The driving part includes a storage part capturing mask pattern transfer data to mask a predetermined one or more of different driving signals of the common driving signal provided by the signal generation part, the mask pattern transfer data being included in the control data; and a latching part latching the mask pattern transfer data, generating a signal to mask the common driving signal, and selectively performing one of control operations other than latching on the stored mask pattern transfer data, based on the combination of the value of the mask pattern transfer data and the value of a mask pattern transfer clock signal, when the latching part is caused to enter a latching state.