A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, or substrate. The purpose of applying the coating may be decorative, functional, or both. Coatings may be applied as liquids, gases or solids e.g. powder coatings.
Lacquer being sprayed onto a cabinet
Paint is a material or mixture that, after applied to a solid material and allowed to dry, adds a film-like layer. As art, this is used to create an image, known as a painting. Paint can be made in many colors and types. Most paints are either oil-based or water-based, and each has distinct characteristics.
A charcoal and ochre cave painting of Megaloceros from Lascaux, France
Paint used every day: White paint on a wall in Suzdal, Russia
Watercolors as applied with a brush
The "painter's mussel", a European freshwater mussel. Individual shell halves were used by artists as a small dish for paint.