It is disclosed a method of printing comprising the steps of: providing a solid state material having at least one exposed surface; applying an auxiliary layer to the exposed surface to form a composite structure, the auxiliary layer having a stress pattern; subjecting the composite structure to conditions facilitating fracture of the solid state material along a plane at a depth therein; and removing the auxiliary layer and, therewith, a layer of the solid state material terminating at the fracture depth, an exposed surface of the removed layer of solid state material having a surface topology corresponding to the stress pattern.