An image forming apparatus creates a drive waveform containing a first pulse to discharge the droplet and a second pulse to cause a liquid to flow within a recording head. A data creation part creates data to select a first or second droplet discharge pulse. The first droplet discharge pulse contains the first pulse and the second pulse. The second droplet discharge pulse does not contain the second pulse. When the first or second droplet discharge pulse is selected in a subsequent drive period and when neither the first nor second droplet discharge pulse is selected in a current drive period, the second pulse is selected in the current drive period when selecting the second droplet discharge pulse in the subsequent drive period, and the second pulse is not selected in the current drive period when selecting the first droplet discharge pulse in the subsequent drive period.