An image forming method, a stamp-making method, and apparatuses implementing these methods are provided. Each of characters included in each character string on one or a plurality of lines are laid out within a rectangular contour having a defined width in a reading direction. Each of the characters are laid out so as to satisfy B>D>O, where D is the dimension of a margin between an edge of the contour and a character at an end of the string, and B is the dimension of an inter-character spacing between adjacent characters. Each of the characters are enlarged in the horizontal direction and laid out such that an area ratio of character portions to blank portions within the contour is equal to or lower than a constant value. Within the plurality of lines, the one having the smallest quotient G of a calculation (A-C.times.F)/F is determined as the longest line, where A is the width of the contour, C is the character width of each of the characters, and an inter-character spacing in the longest line is determined as a reference inter-character spacing dimension B. The characters on the longest line and the remaining line are laid out based on the reference inter-character spacing dimension B.