An excess toner removal area is made broader over the whole area with respect
to a developer applied area that is broader than an image effective area. Thereby
a liquid developer, that tends to spread slightly broader than the applied area
after being applied to a photoreceptor drum, is removed by a sweep roller that
can sweep excess toner present in an area broader than the original applied area
and an excess toner remaining area is then prevented from being formed on the photoreceptor
drum. Accordingly, the excess toner on the latent image carrier is removed as much
as possible, and a transfer medium and peripheral members are prevented from being
soiled due to residual excess toner.