The present invention provides a process for forming a metal pattern in which a metal is chemically absorbed, and a pattern forming material and a crosslinkable monomer used for the process. The process includes: a step for forming a pattern by photolithography including an exposure step for carrying out exposure with a purified water-based developer having a pH of less than 7 on a pattern forming material containing (A) a matrix polymer having at least one of a carboxyl and a sulfonate group, and a rinsing step; a step for forming a metal-containing pattern by immersing the pattern in an aqueous solution containing a metal compound to allow for chemical absorption of a metal ion or a complex ion to the pattern; and a step for forming a metal pattern containing the elemental metal or further containing metal oxide by sintering the metal-containing pattern. A crosslinkable monomer containing a condensation product of a polyhydric alcohol with N-methylol(meth)acrylamide was used.