The invention relates to a stencil for forming surfaces structures by etching, a method for producing a stencil for forming surfaces structures by etching, a printing machine for producing a stencil for forming surface structures by etching, and a method for forming surface structures by etching. A known stencil for forming surface structures by etching includes an etching-resistant stencil layer. The stencil layer can be transferred to the surface to be structured, and the stencil layer can after an etching treatment be partially removed from the surface to be structured, and is elaborated and developed in that the stencil layer includes at least two partial regions and that at least two partial regions can be removed independently of one another from the surface to be structured.