Several non-photolithographic methods for growing patterned films of parylene-based polymers prepared by chemical vapor deposition are presented. These patterns were generated using transition metals and metal salts known to inhibit polymer deposition, in combination with alkanethiols deposited by microcontact printing. By patterning the alkanethiols on gold or silver surfaces, well-defined selectively grown structures of vapor-deposited parylene-N and parylene-C were realized, with lateral dimensions ranging from 1.5 to 35 mum. Using carboxylic acid terminated alkanethiols deposited by microcontact printing to define regions of iron salt exposure on the surface, selectively grown films of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) were generated, with features having lateral dimensions of 12.5 mum separated by 2.5 mum, and thicknesses of 750 Angstrom. The structures fabricated with this approach have dimensions relevant to applications in microelectromechanical systems and polymer-based displays.