an ink jet printing method having the steps of : i ) providing an ink jet printer that is responsive to digital data signals ; ii ) loading the printer with a porous ink jet recording element having a support having thereon an image - receiving layer having : inorganic particles having a primary particle size of from about 7 to about 40 nm in diameter which may be aggregated up to about 500 nm ; colloidal particles having a mean particle size of from about 20 to about 500 nm ; water - insoluble , cationic , polymeric particles having at least about 20 mole percent of a cationic mordant moiety ; and inorganic particles encapsulated with an organic polymer having a tg of less than about 100 ° c . ; iii ) loading the printer with an ink jet ink composition ; and iv ) printing on the image - receiving layer using the ink jet ink composition in response to the digital data signals .