a method of manufacturing a water - release transfer is disclosed in which a design in a photopolymerizable ink is applied to a substrate having a water - soluble release coating and the design is subjected to photopolymerizing radiation , e . g . ultra - violet light , to cause the ink to polymerize to a solid state . preferably the ink comprises a mixture of a liquid unsaturated monomer and a viscous or solid prepolymer , and one or both of the monomer and prepolymer contain acryloyl or methacryloyl groups . the invention includes water - release transfers manufactured using photopolymerizable inks .