Abstract: In a novel process for the reversible or irreversible production of an image by the imagewise action of energy on a recording layer, resulting in a pattern of surface charges which corresponds to the imagewise action of the energy, on the surface of the recording layer, the recording layer used is one which contains or consists of an organic material which solidifies in glassy form, is nonphotoconductive or only slightly photoconductive and has permanent dipoles, wherein the pattern of surface charges is produced, without or almost without formation of free charge carriers, by reversible imagewise orientation of some or all of the permanent dipoles present in the recording layer, with the aid of an electric field applied imagewise.