Processes for producing effect layers

A process for producing an optical effect layer exhibiting one or more indicia on a substrate (x20), said process comprising the steps of:

• a) applying onto a substrate surface a coating composition comprising i) platelet-shaped magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles and ii) a binder material so as to form a coating layer on said substrate, said coating composition being in a first state,
• b) forming an assembly comprising the substrate carrying the coating layer and a soft magnetic plate carrying one or more indicia in the form of indentations and/or protrusions, wherein the substrate carrying the coating layer is arranged above the soft magnetic plate and wherein the soft magnetic plate is either made of one or more metals, alloys or compounds of high magnetic permeability or is made of a composite comprising from about 25 wt-% to about 95 wt-% of soft magnetic particles dispersed in a non-magnetic material, the weight percents being based on the total weight of the soft magnetic plate x,
• c) moving the assembly comprising the substrate carrying the coating layer and the soft magnetic plate obtained under step b) through an inhomogeneous magnetic field of a static magnetic-field-generating device so as to bi-axially orient at least a part of the platelet-shaped magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles, and
• d) hardening the coating composition to a second state so as to fix the platelet-shaped magnetic or magnetizable pigment particles in their adopted positions and orientations.