The invention relates to a thick film dielectric electroluminescent display having a patterned layer. The patterned layer is patterned using a laser ablation method including selecting a wavelength of laser radiation, a laser pulse length, a laser energy density and a sufficient number of laser pulses to pattern the layer without substantial ablation of or damage to other layers, whereby the wavelength of laser radiation is such that the laser radiation is substantially absorbed by the layer with minimal absorption by other layers, the laser pulse length is sufficiently short that during the duration of the laser pulse there is minimal heat flow from the layer to other layers, and the laser energy density and the sufficient number of laser pulses is sufficiently high that energy is deposited in layer, whereby at least a portion of the layer is ablated and the luminance of an unablated area of the display is comparable to the luminance of an equivalent area of an unpatterned but otherwise identical display.