1. An aqueous processable element for thermally-induced photoimaging, said element comprising, in order: (A) a dimensionally stable support, and (B) an active layer comprising: (1) a cationic polymer containing pendant ammonium groups, said cationic polymer being removable from said support by aqueous processing, said pendant groups having the general formula: EQU --N (R.sub.1)(R.sub.2)(R.sub.3)!.sup.+ X.sup.- wherein: R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted and unsubstitued alkyl, substituted and unsubstituted alkenyl, and substituted and unsubstituted aryl; R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 together contain not more than about thirty carbon atoms; and X.sup.- is an anion; (2) an infra-red absorbing material which is non-absorbing in the visible; and (3) a colorant.