Image preparation system for transfer to substrates

A system and method of applying a controlled amount of liquid to a moveable image carrying member (110) of an electrographic printing system using a liquid toner before an image is transferred to a substrate. The amount of liquid applied may be controlled by a re-wet roller (150), located between the toner station (130) and the transfer station (165), whose distance from the moveable image carrying member (110) is varied along with the rotational speed and direction of the re-wet roller (150), according to either the roughness and porosity of the substrate or the print quality of the substrate. Alternatively, the liquid may be directly applied just to image areas of the moveable image carrying member (110) to improve print quality.