Apparatus and method for using a line laser (LL) to quickly mark a substrate or media by utilizing a laser additive on/within the substrate/media, which greatly reduces the power requirement for marking the substrate/media. The combination of the LL wide swath (>305 mm) and the improved media/surface sensitivity to laser wavelength allows the LL marking system to achieve faster marking than other systems. The LL is mounted over a transport which transports the sensitized substrate/media past the LL for marking. The desired image is projected from the LL line by line in synch with the moving media and once the media passes the beam path of the LL, marking is complete. In this case, the media has been physically-altered via the heat generated by the LL interacting with the photosensitized media and is permanent. A second method would use a photosensitizing agent coated on top of the media to be marked.