Mask for low contrast printed highlights

A highlight microdot mask element for an image having a highlight region, the highlight microdot mask element comprising:

• a highlight mask region adapted to correspond to the highlight region of the image, wherein the highlight mask region includes a plurality of microdot printhead regions, each microdot printhead region corresponding to a single printed dot in the highlight region of the image, each microdot printhead region comprising:
• an imaged region having a plurality of imaged blocks that are optically transmissive and a plurality of non-imaged blocks that are optically opaque arranged in a highlight microdot print surface pattern for the single printed dot, each imaged region having;
• the plurality of imaged blocks are optically transmissive and arranged to form an outer region;
• at least one opaque island formed within the outer region by a plurality of non-imaged blocks located within the highlight microdot print surface pattern, wherein an arrangement of the plurality of imaged regions and the at least one opaque island defines the highlight microdot print surface pattern;
• and
• an opaque void region surrounding the highlight microdot pattern formed by a plurality of non-imaged blocks,
• wherein each imaged block or non-imaged block has a height of one pixel and a width of ¼ pixel, each pixel is about 10 microns to about 11 microns in height and width, wherein:
• a width of each imaged region is at least a ¼ pixel;
• a height of each imaged region is at least 1 pixel;
• a width of the microdot pattern ranging from 2 pixels to 8 pixels;
• a height of the microdot pattern ranging from 3 pixels to 8 pixels;
• a width of each internal opaque island is at least a pixel;
• and
• a height of each internal opaque island is at least 1 pixel.