PURPOSE: To provide an image forming method and a device capable of forming an image on a recording medium by deciding automatically the image forming with one scanning or plural number of times of scanning of a recording head depending on the recording condition of picture data.

CONSTITUTION: The image forming device receives picture data, scans a recording head and forms a picture on a recording medium and is provided with a control section 102 generating plural independent output timing signals for plural picture data, a printer section 3 selecting the plural picture data, outputting the selected data to a recording head to form an image synchronously with its output timing signal, and a frame memory control section 4 deciding whether or not the recording operation by the recording means is implemented by one scanning of the recording head in response to each the recording interval of the plural picture data.