It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet recording ink composition with good reliability and print quality, a high OD value, and good fixability that affords excellent smear resistance. This object is achieved with the present invention by providing ink jet recording ink composition including at least a self-dispersing pigment and two types of resin particles with mutually different properties. The above-mentioned two types of resin particles are two types of resin particles whose glass transition points, average sizes, minimum film-formation temperatures, zeta potentials, and other such properties are mutually different. The present invention also provides a recording method, wherein the above-mentioned ink composition is used to form an image on a recording medium, and provides recorded matter having an image formed on a recording medium using the above-mentioned ink composition.