A method of leveling a polymer pen array includes contacting a pen array with a surface and measuring a total force exerted on the surface by the pen array, the pen array being disposed at a first angle with respect to a first axis of the surface and a second angle with respect to a second axis of the surface; tilting one or both of the pen array and the surface to vary the first and second angles of the pen array with respect to the surface; measuring the total force exerted by the tilted pen array on the surface; and repeating the tilting and measuring steps until a global maximum of the total force exerted on the surface by the pen array is measured, thereby determining first and second angles which correspond to a leveled position of the pen array with respect to the surface.