To provide an image forming method and an image forming apparatus by which good halftone and reproducibility of characters can be obtained by using an organic electrophotographic photoreceptor having a siloxane resin layer as a protective layer.

In this method for forming the image by a developer on an organic electrophotographic photoreceptor having a siloxane resin layer as a protective layer to form a toner image, the distance (Dsd) between the organic electrophotographic photoreceptor and a developing sleeve which carries a developer and the film thickness (a) of the protective layer of the organic electrophotographic photoreceptor satisfy the relation of inequality (1):35a+400<Dsd (μm in unit).