A method for image processing data representing a page to be printed includes the step of respectively receiving, in a data processing apparatus, external to a printer, data representing a bi-level black layer and a contone layer of a page to be printed. In the data processing apparatus, a halftoning process is applied to data representing the contone layer to form a bi-level cyan, yellow, magenta, and black (CYMK) layer. In the data processing apparatus, a compositing process is applied to data representing the bi-level black layer to composite the bi-level black layer over the bi-level CYMK layer to form a bi-level CYMK image of the page to be printed. The data representing the halftoned and composited layers is compressed to generate compressed image data. The compressed image data is written to the printer. An expansion process is applied to the compressed image data in the printer to generate data representing the page to be printed. The page is printed with the printer.