An infrared image pattern is created on a recording medium having a first color by electronically creating a first electronic pattern ink, the first electronic pattern ink including a second color and including holes, the holes representing areas in the first electronic pattern ink wherein the second color is absent; electronically creating an electronic image region having a pattern; electronically painting, using the first electronic pattern ink, a background of electronic image region and the pattern of the electronic image region; electronically painting a predetermined portion of the holes within the electronic image region with a third color, the third color being equal to the first color but having opposite infrared properties; and rendering, using marking materials, the electronic image region on the recording medium such that the recording medium is only visible through the holes not painted with the third color when viewing the recording medium using infrared illumination and such that the electronic image region is visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle, the electronic image region not having the predetermined portion of the holes painted with the second color being not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.