Ink jet recording apparatus that can reproduce half tone image without degrading picture quality

An ink jet printer includes a piezoelectric element, and a voltage generation device for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element. The voltage generation device applies a pulse voltage having a rising edge, a constant amplitude holding portion, and a falling edge for driving a piezoelectric element, whereby ink dots of a plurality of diameters are printed out to reproduce a half tone image. The waveform of the pulse voltage has the voltage boosted more gentle as the pulse amplitude becomes greater. The sudden strain of a piezoelectric element is prevented. An ink droplet of a particularly great diameter can be sprayed out stably. The conventionally encountered satellite dot, dot split noise, and ink hit position offset are prevented.