the pattern complexity and functional value of wrinkled structures can be substantially increased by fabricating the wrinkles on pre - patterned quasi - planar substrates instead of flat substrates . this disclosure presents the methods for fabricating pre - patterned polymeric surfaces that can be subsequently used as the substrates during manufacture of complex wrinkled structures . pre - patterned substrates are generated by imprinting the pre - patterns onto the substrates during the curing process . suitability for post - curing use in fabrication of wrinkles is ensured by delayed imprinting that occurs close to but before the gelation point and gradual alignment of pre - patterns to the direction of stretch that is applied later during manufacture of wrinkled structures .