be formed and inked such a polymer imaging blanket requires among other parameters a unique specification on surface roughness radiation absorptivity and oleophobicity the controlled surface roughness has the function of retaining a relatively very thin for example on the order of 200 nm dampening fluid layer for subsequent selective removal for example by an incident near infrared ir laser beam specific patterns of features features shape and size and other surface characteristics are formed such as by molding into the surface of the polymer imaging blanket according to this disclosure a method of surface texturing a variable data lithography imaging blanket having a polymer body is disclosed according to certain embodiments the method comprises polymer surface texturing the polymer such as silicone imaging blankets are often formed by casting typical as cast polymer surfaces have a high surface gloss especially on the molded face surface one method of fabrication involves cast molding where the mold master is fabricated with a photoresist layer patterned using a lithographic process the molded surface roughness depth is then controlled by the photoresist layer thickness and exposure and development times and lateral surface roughness periodicity is controlled by the pattern definition in one embodiment of such pattern definition the defined surface pattern can comprise fluid channels to minimize a buildup.