Lithography was used first. Lithography, a printing process that uses chemical processes to create an image, was invented in 1796 by the German author and actor Alois Senefelder as a cheap method of publishing theatrical works. Screen printing, though it has roots in ancient stenciling techniques, was not developed into the more modern form known today until much later, with significant advancements occurring in the 20th century. Therefore, lithography predates screen printing by over a century.