Abstract: A lithographic printing form precursor comprises an imagable coating on a roughened and anodized aluminum support. The precursor is prepared by a process comprising: (a) anodising an aluminum sheet; and (b) without having effected a chemical treatment step after the anodising step, applying a composition comprising a polymeric substance to the anodised surface of the aluminum sheet and drying the composition to form the imagable coating thereon, wherein the coating contains a pigment and does not contain a dye. Undesired staining of the lithographic printing form during development is avoided by using the precursor in the lithographic printing process.