The present invention includes a method of preparing a dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer using one of a mechanical mask, photo-resist, UV treatment, and ridge and fringe field methods. The present invention further provides a multi-domain, wide viewing angle liquid-crystal display, comprising: a bottom substrate; a first transparent conductive layer; a top substrate; a color filter layer; a second transparent conductive layer; a first dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer; a second dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer, the second dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer being spaced adjacent to and facing the first dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layer; spacers; and a liquid-crystal material. Each of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer is divided into a plurality of pixels each having a boundary and at least two domains and the domains of each of the multi-domain, dry deposited liquid-crystal alignment layers is obtained by a method selected from the group consisting of: a mechanical mask, photo-resist, UV treatment, and ridge and fringe field. The multi-domain, wide viewing angle liquid-crystal display of the present invention can be operated in the in-plane switching mode, which results in reduced image sticking.