Any mixture of film-forming materials plus pigments, solvents, and other additives, which, when applied to a surface and cured or dried, yields a thin film that is functional and often decorative. Surface coatings include paints, drying oils and varnishes, synthetic clear coatings, and other products whose primary function is to protect the surface of an object from the environment. These products can also enhance the aesthetic appeal of an object by accentuating its surface features or even by concealing them from view.
There is a wide variety of technologies that are used to print stuff. The main printing processes are:
Offset lithography
Flexography
Digital printing: inkjet & xerography
Gravure
Screen printing