Electrophotographic patterning of an image definition material

A method for variable data lithography, comprising:

• applying a first electrostatic charge having a value and a first charge polarity to a photoreceptor;
• selectively exposing the photoreceptor to form an exposure pattern from regions that are exposed and unexposed on a surface of the photoreceptor, the exposure altering the electrostatic charge on the photoreceptor to define regions of the photoreceptor having a first electrostatic charge state corresponding to non-exposed regions and a second electrostatic charge state corresponding to exposed regions;
• selectively applying an image definition material layer substantially over regions of the photoreceptor having the first electrostatic charge state and not over regions having the second electrostatic charge state to thereby form an image definition material image on a surface of the photoreceptor corresponding to the exposure pattern, the image definition material comprising a dampening fluid, the dampening fluid comprising a carrier fluid in which the electrostatically charged particles are disposed, the electrostatically insulative carrier fluid in which is disposed electrostatically charged particles having a second charge polarity, the first charge polarity being opposite the second charge polarity;
• applying a second electrostatic charge of a value greater than the value of the first electrostatic charge to an imaging member having a reimageable surface formed thereover;
• bringing the image definition material image on the photoreceptor proximate the reimageable surface such that the image definition material selectively applied over the photoreceptor is transferred to the reimageable surface, forming regions of image definition material separated by regions of no image definition material on the reimageable surface, and transferring the image definition material image from the photoreceptor to the reimageable surface;
• selectively applying ink over the reimageable surface such that the ink occupies regions of image definition material on the reimageable surface to form an inked image corresponding to the image definition material image over the reimageable surface;
• and
• transferring the ink occupying the regions of image definition material on the reimageable surface to a substrate to thereby transfer the inked image from the reimageable surface to the substrate.