One of the most versatile and widely used methods of forming surfaces with position- dependent wettability is that conceived by Chaudhury and Whitesides more than a decade ago [ Science 256, 1539 ( 1992)]. In this paper we review several projects that utilize this gradient- forming methodology for: controlled of deposition of self- assembled monolayers on surfaces, generating arrays of nanoparticles with number density gradients, probing the mushroom- to- brush transition in surface- anchored polymers, and controlling the speed of moving liquid droplets on surfaces.