1. A color image forming apparatus comprising: reading means for reading a color original image on a basis of line to generate color component signals line by line; recording means for recording on a recording medium a plural member of different color pixels based on the color component signals generated from said reading means to form a color image; and control means for controlling a color tone of the color image to be formed by said recording means by means of varying on each color a recording density of the color pixels to be recorded on the recording medium, said control means comprising gating means for extracting the color component signals entered on a line by line basis at different line intervals for each color, and sampling means for extracting the color component signals entered on a line by line basis at different pixel intervals for each color, wherein said control means controls the color component signals from said reading means so as to be supplied through said gating means and said sampling means to said recording means.