A method of forming a digital print on a surface by applying powder of dry ink including colourants on the surface, bonding a part of the dry ink powder to the surface by a digital heating print head such that the digital print is formed by the bonded dry ink colourants and removing non-bonded dry ink from the surface.

An image forming apparatus includes a conveyer that conveys a recording medium supporting an image; a softener that softens the image; and a powder applicator that applies powder to the surface of the softened image, in which the applied powder adheres to a range that is narrower in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the recording medium conveyed by the conveyer than a maximum width of the image to be supported by the recording medium.

In an example, a method includes receiving, at a processor, a digital version of an image combined with a machine readable graphic code. Areas of the combined image and graphic code that have a lightness level below a threshold level may be determined. Print instructions for depositing a metallic pattern wherein solid areas of the metallic pattern correspond to the areas of the combined image and graphic code that have a lightness level below the threshold level may also be determined.

In an example, a method includes receiving, at a processor, a digital version of an image combined with a machine readable graphic code. Areas of the combined image and graphic code that have a lightness level below a threshold level may be determined. Print instructions for depositing a metallic pattern wherein solid areas of the metallic pattern correspond to the areas of the combined image and graphic code that have a lightness level below the threshold level may also be determined.

A method and equipment to form a digital print by applying dry colourants on a surface of a panel, bonding a part of the colourants with a binder and removing the non-bonded colourants from the surface. The method of forming a digital print on a surface of a panel includes displacing the panel under a digital drop application head, applying a liquid binder with the digital drop application head on the surface; applying colourants on the liquid binder and the surface; bonding a part of the colourants to the surface with the liquid binder; removing non-bonded colourants from the surface such that a digital print is formed by the bonded colourants; and applying heat and pressure on the panel, the surface and the bonded colorants such that the colourants are permanently bonded to the surface.

A method and equipment to form a digital print by applying dry colourants on a surface of a panel, bonding a part of the colourants with a binder and removing the non-bonded colourants from the surface. The method of forming a digital print on a surface of a panel includes displacing the panel under a digital drop application head, applying a liquid binder with the digital drop application head on the surface; applying colourants on the liquid binder and the surface; bonding a part of the colourants to the surface with the liquid binder; removing non-bonded colourants from the surface such that a digital print is formed by the bonded colourants; and applying heat and pressure on the panel, the surface and the bonded colorants such that the colourants are permanently bonded to the surface.

An ink jet printing method includes printing an image on a printing medium including a transparent substrate and an ink-receiving layer on one side of the transparent substrate by applying a first ink and a second ink onto the surface of the ink-receiving layer of the printing medium in such a manner that the first ink and the second ink are at least partially superposed one on the other. The first ink is an aqueous ink containing silver particles, and the second ink is an aqueous ink containing a dye. The particle size at 50% in the cumulative volume distribution of the silver particles is larger than the average pore size of the ink-receiving layer.

An ink jet printing method includes printing an image on a printing medium including a transparent substrate and an ink-receiving layer on one side of the transparent substrate by applying a first ink and a second ink onto the surface of the ink-receiving layer of the printing medium in such a manner that the first ink and the second ink are at least partially superposed one on the other. The first ink is an aqueous ink containing silver particles, and the second ink is an aqueous ink containing a dye. The particle size at 50% in the cumulative volume distribution of the silver particles is larger than the average pore size of the ink-receiving layer.

In an example, a method includes receiving, at a processor, a digital version of an image combined with a machine readable graphic code. Areas of the combined image and graphic code that have a lightness level below a threshold level may be determined. Print instructions for depositing a metallic pattern wherein solid areas of the metallic pattern correspond to the areas of the combined image and graphic code that have a lightness level below the threshold level may also be determined.

In an example, a method includes receiving, at a processor, a digital version of an image combined with a machine readable graphic code. Areas of the combined image and graphic code that have a lightness level below a threshold level may be determined. Print instructions for depositing a metallic pattern wherein solid areas of the metallic pattern correspond to the areas of the combined image and graphic code that have a lightness level below the threshold level may also be determined.