FORMATION OF PATTERN

PURPOSE: To provide a patterning method for photomasks, etc., by a lift-off method necessitating just one time of patterning. CONSTITUTION: A mask 13A for plating is disposed on a conductive layer 11 on a transparent substrate 10 and is then subjected to plating, by which plating films 15 are selectively formed on this conductive layer 11. The mask 13A for plating exclusive of the selectively formed plating films 15 on the conductive layer 11 is removed. The conductive layer 11 is selectively removed by etching, etc., with the selectively formed plating films 15 on the conductive layer 11 as a mask. A thin film 16 for forming a lift-off layer over the entire surface is formed on the transparent substrate 10 and the selectively formed plating films 15 on the conductive layer 11. The selectively formed plating films 15 on the conductive layer 11 and the conductive layer 11 are removed by etching, etc., and the thin films 16a on the plating films 15 are removed to form the patterns by the thin films 16b directly formed on the transparent substrate 11. The patterning method is composed of such lift-off stages.