A method of thermally developing a photocurable printing blank to produce a relief image comprising a plurality of relief dots is provided. The photocurable printing blank comprises a backing layer having at least one photocurable layer disposed thereon. The method includes the steps of (1) laminating an oxygen barrier membrane to a top of the photocurable layer; (2) placing a negative of the desired relief image on top of the oxygen barrier membrane; (3) exposing the printing blank to actinic radiation through the oxygen barrier and negative to crosslink and cure portions of the at least one photocurable layer, creating the relief pattern; (4) removing the oxygen barrier membrane and negative from the top of the at least one photocurable layer; and (5) developing the printing blank to reveal the relief image. The presence of the oxygen barrier membrane produces dots having desired characteristics. The negative itself can be used as the oxygen barrier layer.