Patent ID: 7358034

Claim:
A method of lithographically printing images on a receiving medium, comprising in order: (a) providing a lithographic plate comprising (i) a substrate and (ii) a photosensitive layer capable of hardening upon exposure to a radiation having a wavelength selected from 200 to 1200 nm and soluble or dispersible in ink and/or fountain solution, wherein said photosensitive layer exhibits an affinity or aversion substantially opposite to the affinity or aversion of said substrate to at least one printing liquid selected from the group consisting of ink and an abhesive fluid for ink; (b) imagewise exposing said plate with said radiation to cause hardening of the photosensitive layer in the exposed areas; (c) applying a deactivating agent to said exposed plate to deactivate the photosensitive layer; and (d) contacting said deactivated plate with ink and/or fountain solution on a lithographic press to remove the photosensitive layer in the non-hardened areas and to lithographically print images from said plate to the receiving medium.