Using a printer having a recessed portion, printing up to the edge of printing paper is performed without depositing ink drops on the platen. Printing paper P is advanced by upstream paper feed rollers 25a, 25b, and when its leading edge Pf reaches the opening of a downstream recessed portion 26r, printing is initiated using nozzles #1-#3. Since printing commences with leading edge Pf situated upstream from nozzle #1, even if there is some degree of error in paper feed, the image can be printed up to the edge of leading edge portion Pf. Subsequently, printing of the midsectional portion of the printing medium is performed with nozzles #1-#13. During both printing of the leading edge portion of the printing paper using nozzles #1-#3 and printing of the midsectional portion of the printing paper using nozzles #1-#13, printing is carried out in units of a band of predetermined width in the printing paper feed direction. Thus, when transitioning from printing of the leading edge portion to printing of the midsectional portion, printing can be switched efficiently in band units.