To form an image by a plurality of coating units and to respond to processes using inks in separated groups such as inks by the RGB system and inks by the YMC system.

A plurality of coating units 6, 7 each equipped with ink discharge heads and discharging different colors of inks from each other are relatively moved in a first direction X as a coating direction with respect to a substrate such as a color filter glass plate, while the coating units are allowed to move in a second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction X, so that the plurality of coating units 6, 7 move and scan in a combination of the relative movement in the first direction X and the movement in the second direction Y to discharge inks through the respective ink discharge heads of the coating units 6, 7 to form an image such as a fine pattern on the substrate 4.