A printing method for performing printing while complementing black with composite black, the printing method including: printing a test pattern having a plurality of patch images for which composite mode varies, this test pattern being printed for each dot size of the black to be complemented; causing a user to select a desired patch image from among the plurality of the patch images included in the printed test pattern, the selection being made for each of the dot size of the black ink to be complemented; and performing printing while complementing the black to be complemented with the composite black generated on a basis of the composite mode corresponding to the desired patch image selected correspondingly to the dot size of the black ink to be complemented.