Data on image shortening effects with patterns replicated with x‐ray and optical lithography are presented. The x‐ray exposures were performed at the IBM Advanced Lithography Facility using the Helios superconducting storage ring and a SUSS stepper. The optical exposures were performed using SVGL Micrascan 1 and 2 tools and biased optical masks. The results indicate that the image shortening effects using x‐ray lithography (XRL) are considerably less pronounced than the effects observed with the optical tools. In addition, modeling of the image shortening effects for XRL using thexmasthree‐dimensional program for resist patterns is presented and compared with experimental results.