1. A method of simulating a differential gloss image comprising: providing a background image; providing a gloss effect image, the gloss effect image being configured for controlling the selective application of first and second halftones to the background image for creation of a differential gloss image when the background image is printed; forming a mask based on the background image in which regions of mid-tone gray level are accentuated; muting the gloss effect image to form a muted gloss effect image; applying the mask to the muted gloss effect image to generate a background modified muted gloss effect image; and applying the background modified muted gloss effect image to the background image to generate a representation of the differential gloss image.