This invention relates to an improvement in the process for the preparation of screen printing stencils by an electroplating method, which comprises coating a metallic matrix, provided in the manner of a screen with dots of insulating material, with a photoresist layer, exposing the photoresist layer imagewise and developing it by washing out, and rendering those areas of the photoresist layer which have remained in place electrically conductive in the course of imaging, electrodepositing metal up to a desired height on the conductive image stencil and on the matrix ridges surrounding the insulating screen dots, and removing the patterned screen printing stencil thus obtained from the matrix, the improvement which comprises rendering the photoresist layer conductive only on its surface and before developing.