A printer for printing on a semiporous recording medium includes a dryer adapted to dry the semiporous recording medium to a moisture content not to exceed that of the recording medium equilibrated to 20% RH. A liquid-deposition unit deposits hydrophilic liquid in a selected fluid pattern on the recording medium within 15 seconds after the completion of drying. A charging member charges the recording medium so that a charge pattern of charged and discharged areas is formed on the recording medium and the charged areas have a potential of at least 100 V. A development station deposits charged dry ink on the medium, the dry ink having charge of the same sign as the charged areas, so that the charged dry ink is deposited on the paper in a dry ink pattern corresponding to the selected fluid pattern.