An electrophoretic display device includes a spacer layer sandwiched between two conductive film substrates, the spacer layer defining a multiplicity of individual reservoirs within the display device which are filled with a display liquid. The spacer layer preferably is one of (a) a screen in which holes within the screen define the individual reservoirs, (b) a laser punched spacer layer comprised of a sheet having holes laser punched therein in which the laser punched holes define the individual reservoirs, (c) a pocket spacer layer comprised of sheets joined together and containing a pattern of pockets within the sheets in which the pockets define the individual reservoirs, (d) an etched photoresist layer formed upon one of the conductive film substrates in which holes etched in the photoresist layer define the individual reservoirs, and (e) a composite etched layer comprised of a composite of two photoresist layers sandwiching a conductive film in which holes etched in the composite define the individual reservoirs. The device can display both monochrome and color images.