Abstract: A method for forming patterned screens for cathode ray tubes wherein a multiplicity of viewing areas are spaced in accordance with and dimensionally smaller than openings of a mask member comprising the steps of coating the inner surface of a viewing panel with polyvinyl alcohol photosensitized with dichromate; exposing the viewing panel at a first positional location to radiant energy beamed through the mask openings; moving the viewing panel to a second positional location and exposing the viewing panel to radiant energy beamed through the mask openings; developing to remove the unexposed coating from the viewing panel; treating the exposed viewing panel with a dilute organic etching composition to erode the coating exposed to the radiant energy at one of the first and second positional locations; and washing the viewing panel to remove the etching composition and eroded coating leaving polymerized coating of a dimension smaller than the openings of the mask member.