A process for forming thin flake particles includes coating a liquid release agent over a base substrate, forming a multilayer structure by depositing a film over the liquid release agent, collecting the multilayer structure, and separating the resultant thin flake from the multilayer structure using a suitable solvent. The liquid release agent comprises a curable compound that can form a solidified layer less than 0.001 mm thick onto which the thin film can be deposited. Separation requires little solvent because of the thinness of the solidified layer.