A method for creating a mark with a desired colour on an article , wherein the article comprises a metal having a metal surface , and which method comprises: • providing a laser for emitting a laser beam comprising laser pulses having a pulse energy , a pulse width , a pulse repetition frequency , and a wavelength ; • providing a scanner comprising a first mirror for scanning the laser beam in a first direction , and a second mirror for scanning the laser beam in a second direction ; • providing a lens for focussing the laser beam from the laser onto the metal surface to form a spot having a spot diameter and a pulse fluence ; • providing a controller for controlling the scanner with a control signal ; • marking a plurality of lines separated by a hatch distance on the metal surface to form the mark by scanning the scanner while pulsing the laser ; and • selecting a scan speed , the pulse repetition frequency , and the spot diameter to provide a desired spot to spot separation between the centres of consecutive spots during each scan of the scanner ; the method being characterized by : • prior to marking with the laser the article has a mark-facilitating layer applied to the metal surface , which mark-facilitating layer allows the laser pulses to pass through the mark-facilitating layer and strike the metal surface ; • selecting the pulse fluence to cause a plume comprising material from the metal surface to be ejected from the metal surface , • retaining at least a portion of the plume with the mark-facilitating layer in contact with the metal surface in order to enable the plume to mark the metal surface ; • the colour being given by the spot to spot separation , the hatch distance , the pulse fluence , the pulse width , and the number of times each line is written; and • selecting the spot to spot separation , the hatch distance , the pulse fluence , the pulse width , and the number of times each line is written to form the desired colour; and • wherein the metal surface is a non-anodized metal surface. • providing a laser for emitting a laser beam comprising laser pulses having a pulse energy , a pulse width , a pulse repetition frequency , and a wavelength ; • providing a scanner comprising a first mirror for scanning the laser beam in a first direction , and a second mirror for scanning the laser beam in a second direction ; • providing a lens for focussing the laser beam from the laser onto the metal surface to form a spot having a spot diameter and a pulse fluence ; • providing a controller for controlling the scanner with a control signal ; • marking a plurality of lines separated by a hatch distance on the metal surface to form the mark by scanning the scanner while pulsing the laser ; and • selecting a scan speed , the pulse repetition frequency , and the spot diameter to provide a desired spot to spot separation between the centres of consecutive spots during each scan of the scanner ; • prior to marking with the laser the article has a mark-facilitating layer applied to the metal surface , which mark-facilitating layer allows the laser pulses to pass through the mark-facilitating layer and strike the metal surface ; • selecting the pulse fluence to cause a plume comprising material from the metal surface to be ejected from the metal surface , • retaining at least a portion of the plume with the mark-facilitating layer in contact with the metal surface in order to enable the plume to mark the metal surface ; • the colour being given by the spot to spot separation , the hatch distance , the pulse fluence , the pulse width , and the number of times each line is written; and • selecting the spot to spot separation , the hatch distance , the pulse fluence , the pulse width , and the number of times each line is written to form the desired colour; and • wherein the metal surface is a non-anodized metal surface. <EOS>