Patent ID: 8211509

Claim:
A method of forming an image on a substrate, the image providing an optical effect caused by an alignment of flakes within the image, the method comprising the steps of: a) printing a viscous paste ink onto the substrate, the viscous paste ink comprising a carrier having flakes therein, wherein the flakes are optical interference pigment flakes, or reflective pigment flakes, or single layer diffractive flakes, or multi layer diffractive flakes, and wherein the flakes comprise at least a layer of field orientable material; b) after step (a), lessening the viscosity of the paste ink by adding energy to the paste ink printed on the substrate, wherein a configuration of the paste ink printed on the substrate is maintained; c) after the viscosity of the paste ink is lessened, applying a magnetic or electric field so as to reorient the flakes within the paste ink and to provide the alignment of the flakes such that some of the flakes are standing on their edges or tilted thereby enabling the optical effect; and, d) fixing the alignment of the flakes within the paste ink on the substrate; wherein the paste ink remains a paste during steps (a)-(c).