Patent ID: 8814346

Claim:
A printing system for creating a metallic effect image on a substrate having a surface, the system comprising: an undercoat layer applied onto at least a portion of the surface of the substrate to yield a base surface that is substantially impervious to nanoparticulate metal; a first ink jet ink applied onto at least a portion of the undercoat layer, wherein the first ink jet ink forms at least one graphic object, wherein the first ink jet ink comprises a dispersion of reflective metallic nanoparticles having an average particle size of less than about 100 nm in a carrier system, wherein the first ink jet ink forms a reflective coating layer upon curing, and wherein the formed reflective coating layer defines a boundary on the base surface of the undercoat layer; and a second ink jet ink applied over at least a portion of the base surface of the reflective coating layer to form a protective coating layer.