Improvements in watermarking

A watermark formation element for forming watermarks in paper has an integrated body comprising a watermark forming surface 21, which has one or more watermark forming regions, and a drainage surface 25. The watermark formation element has a plurality of first drainage channels 22 extending from front surface apertures 23 in the watermark forming surface 21 to the drainage surface 25, and at least one second drainage channel 31, 32 which extends laterally within the watermark formation element below the watermark forming surface. The lateral drainage channels may extend from one side of the element to another side or from one point on the perimeter of the element to another point on the perimeter. The lateral drainage channels may be straight, angled or curved. The element may be formed in layers by 3D printing. The top layer 30 may have a mesh-like structure and the second 31 and third 32 layers may have apertures in the form of channels 34, 35 with the channels 35 having a greater width than the channels 34.