Patent ID: 8198013

Claim:
A method for preparing a printing form from a photosensitive element comprising a photopolymerizable layer on a support comprising: a) providing a front mask adjacent the photosensitive element disposed above a side of the photopolymerizable layer opposite the support, wherein the mask comprises an image region and a non-image region; b) forming from an actinic radiation opaque element a backside mask having an intact region and a cutout region; c) placing the backside mask adjacent to the support of the element of step a), and aligning the intact region with the non-image region; d) exposing the element of step c) to actinic radiation through the front mask forming cured portions of the photopolymerizable layer corresponding to the image region; e) exposing the element of step c) to actinic radiation through the backside mask forming a cured floor adjacent the cured portions, and providing an unexposed region of the photopolymerizable layer corresponding to the non-image region; f) treating the element resulting after exposing steps d) and e) to form a relief region of the cured portions with the floor, wherein at least some of the photopolymerizable layer remains on the support at the unexposed region; and g) removing the unexposed region of the photopolymerizable layer from the support and from the relief region, wherein the relief region remains on the support forming the printing form, and the removing comprises g1) cutting the element of step f) comprising a first cutting through the photopolymerizable layer along a perimeter of the relief region; and g2) separating the unexposed region of the photopolymerizable layer from the relief region and from the support.