Patent ID: 8317311

Claim:
A printing system for creating a metallic effect image on a substrate having a surface, the system comprising: a first ink jet ink applied onto the surface of the substrate, wherein the first ink jet ink is registered on a region that comprises less than the entirety of the surface of the substrate to form 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 50 nm in a suitable carrier system, wherein the first ink jet ink forms a smooth reflective coating layer having a thickness of at least about 10 nm upon curing, and wherein the formed reflective coating layer defines a boundary on the substrate; and a second ink jet ink comprising at least one crosslinkable polymer applied over at least a portion of the reflective coating layer, wherein the applied second ink jet ink is configured to spread across the reflective coating layer up to the boundary to form a protective coating layer.