Abstract: Direct laser printing and forming apparatus is provided wherein a surface to be printed is coated with an ink which is setable upon being irradiated by energy. The surface to be printed may be selectively irradiated by a source of a directable beam of energy radiation or a coherent electromagnetic radiation, which may be a laser, which scans the surface to be printed. The image is formed directly on the surface by selectively irradiating portions of the ink to be set. The excess ink, which has not been set, is removed leaving the printed image. The coherent source of electromagnetic radiation or the laser is controlled by means of a computer system. The process may be repeated for different colors using a color separation technique. The apparatus may be used to print directly on large and/or irregularly shaped objects. In a second embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention may be used to form a three dimensional object from material which is setable upon being irradiated by electromagnetic radiation.