An image processing device includes circuitry to acquire image data of an image to be formed by a recording unit employing an inkjet method, calculate, based on the image data, ink thickness per pixel that indicates a thickness of ink to be discharged to form the image, set the maximum ink thickness per pixel of the entire image as a target thickness of the image, calculate, for each pixel, the difference between the target thickness and the ink thickness per pixel, create complementary data regulating thickness compensating the difference, and create print data including the image data and the complementary data.