An image forming apparatus of the invention includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a HDD, a network connection unit, an operation panel, a JOB execution unit, a surrounding color correction coefficient storage unit, an area correction function storage unit and a database. The CPU functions as an image processing unit (image processing apparatus) by an image processing program. The image processing unit includes a noted color extraction unit, an area calculation unit, an area correction coefficient calculation unit, and a color correction unit. The area calculation unit calculates an area of the noted color region. The area correction coefficient calculation unit calculates an area correction coefficient based on a function stored in the area correction function storage unit, the area of the noted color region and the like. Based on the area correction coefficient received from the area correction coefficient calculation unit, the color correction unit corrects a skin color of image data to a skin color taking the area into consideration.