The present invention provides methods, devices and device components for fabricating patterns on substrate surfaces, particularly patterns comprising structures having microsized and/or nanosized features of selected lengths in one, two or three dimensions and including relief and recess features with variable height, depth or height and depth. Composite patterning devices comprising a plurality of polymer layers each having selected mechanical and thermal properties and physical dimensions provide high resolution patterning on a variety of substrate surfaces and surface morphologies. Gray-scale ink lithography photomasks for gray-scale pattern generation or molds for generating embossed relief features on a substrate surface are provided. The particular shape of the fabricated patterned can be manipulated by varying the three-dimensional recess pattern on an elastomeric patterning device which is brought into conformal contact with a substrate to localize patterning agent to the recess portion of the pattern.