An automated method of producing an encoded image for use in authenticating a printed version of a digital document is presented. The method comprises establishing at least one digitized authentication image, receiving at least one user-supplied encoding parameter, and determining at least one non-user-supplied encoding parameter. The method further comprises establishing a first encoding parameter set including the at least one user-supplied encoding parameter and the at least one non-user-supplied encoding parameter. The first encoding parameter set is usable to encode one or more of the at least one digitized authentication image. The method also comprises encoding one or more of the at least one digitized authentication image using the first encoding parameter set to produce a final encoded image.