Method of patterning a substrate

A thermal transfer donor element comprising, in the following order:

• a donor substrate;
• a light-to-heat conversion layer;
• and
• a thermal transfer layer comprising a catalytic material.

An article comprising, in the following order:

• a receptor substrate;
• a patterned first layer, wherein the first layer is capable of adhering to the receptor substrate;
• a patterned second layer comprising a catalytic material;
• and
• an electrolessly deposited metallic material, wherein the metallic material has the same pattern as the patterned first layer and the second patterned layer,
• wherein the patterned first layer and the patterned second layer are thermally transferred to the receptor substrate from a donor element and would be incompatible if originally formed on the receptor substrate in the order in which they are found on the receptor substrate.