A method of driving a display layer having a first, viewing surface and a second surface on the opposed side of the display layer from the first surface, the display layer being provided with means (11, 12a) for applying an electric field between the first and second surfaces, the display layer further comprising an electrophoretic medium comprising a fluid and first, second, fourth and fifth types of particles dispersed in the fluid, the first, second, fourth and fifth types of particles having respectively first, second, fourth and fifth optical characteristics differing from one another, the first and fourth types of particles having charges of one polarity with the first type of particles having a higher charge potential that the fourth type of particles and the second and fifth types of particles having charges of the opposite polarity with the second type of particles having a higher charge potential than the fifth type of particles, the method comprising: (i) when the second optical characteristic is displayed at the viewing surface, applying a first electric field having a high magnitude and a polarity driving the first and fourth types of particles towards the viewing surface, thereby causing the display layer to display the first optical characteristic at the viewing surface; (ii) when the first optical characteristic is displayed at the viewing surface, applying a second electric field having a high magnitude and a polarity opposite to that of the first electric field, thereby driving the second and fifth types of particles towards the viewing surface, thereby causing the display layer to display the second optical characteristic at the viewing surface; (iii) when the second optical characteristic is displayed at the viewing surface, applying a third electric field (+V') having a low magnitude and the same polarity as the first electric field, thereby driving the fourth type of particles towards the viewing surface, thereby causing the display layer to display the fourth optical characteristic at the viewing surface; and (iv) when the first optical characteristic is displayed at the viewing surface, applying a fourth electric field (-V') having a low magnitude and a polarity opposite to that of the first electric field, thereby driving the fifth type of particles towards the viewing surface, thereby causing the display layer to display the fifth optical characteristic at the viewing surface; the method being characterized in that the electrophoretic medium further comprises a third type of particles bearing a charge of the same polarity as the first and fourth types of particles with the third type of particles having a charge potential lower than that of the first type of particles but higher than that of the fourth type of particles, the third type of particles having a third optical characteristic different from the first, second fourth and fifth optical characteristics, the method further comprising: (v) when the fifth optical characteristic is displayed at the viewing surface, applying a fifth electric field (V M1) having a magnitude intermediate the first and third electric fields and the same polarity as the first electric field, thereby driving the third type of particles towards the viewing surface, thereby causing the display layer to display the third optical characteristic at the viewing surface. (i) when the second optical characteristic is displayed at the viewing surface, applying a first electric field having a high magnitude and a polarity driving the first and fourth types of particles towards the viewing surface, thereby causing the display layer to display the first optical characteristic at the viewing surface; (ii) when the first optical characteristic is displayed at the viewing surface, applying a second electric field having a high magnitude and a polarity opposite to that of the first electric field, thereby driving the second and fifth types of particles towards the viewing surface, thereby causing the display layer to display the second optical characteristic at the viewing surface; (iii) when the second optical characteristic is displayed at the viewing surface, applying a third electric field (+V') having a low magnitude and the same polarity as the first electric field, thereby driving the fourth type of particles towards the viewing surface, thereby causing the display layer to display the fourth optical characteristic at the viewing surface; and (iv) when the first optical characteristic is displayed at the viewing surface, applying a fourth electric field (-V') having a low magnitude and a polarity opposite to that of the first electric field, thereby driving the fifth type of particles towards the viewing surface, thereby causing the display layer to display the fifth optical characteristic at the viewing surface;