The invention is directed to a method for preparing a substrate with an electrically conductive pattern for an electric circuit, to the substrate with the electrically conductive pattern, and to a device comprising the substrate with the electrically conductive pattern. The method of the invention comprises (a) providing an electrically insulating or semiconductive substrate, which substrate comprises a distribution of nanoparticles of a first metal or alloy thereof; (b) i) locally applying a layer of an inhibiting material onto said substrate; or ii) - applying a layer of an inhibiting material onto said substrate, and - locally removing or deactivating, light-induced, thermally, chemically and/or electrochemically, the layer of inhibiting material and thereby exposing at least part of the first metal or alloy thereof so as to obtain a pattern for an electric circuit; ; (c) depositing by means of an electroless process a layer of a second metal or alloy thereof on the exposed part of the first metal or alloy thereof present in the substrate as obtained in step (b), whereby inhibiting material that is still present on the substrate after step (b) locally inhibits the second metal or alloy thereof to be deposited on the first metal or alloy thereof, ensuring that the second metal or alloy thereof will selectively be deposited on the exposed part of the first metal or alloy thereof as obtained in step (b).