Methods of coating a substrate

A method of coating a substrate comprising the steps of:

• applying a coating composition to the substrate with an applicator to produce a coating layer, wherein the applicator and the substrate remain spatially separate while applying the coating composition such that a print head assembly of the applicator is positioned at a distance of from about 1 to about 30 millimeters from the substrate during application of the coating composition, wherein the substrate comprises a portion of an automobile, wherein the coating composition has a viscosity of from about 5,000 to about 500,000 centipoise when the coating composition is subject to a shear rate of about 0.1 reciprocal seconds (s−1), wherein the coating composition is non-Newtonian such that a coating composition viscosity decreases when the shear rate is increased to the coating composition, wherein the coating is a paint, wherein the substrate is in a position other than horizontal during application of the coating composition;
• and
• impinging the coating layer with a gas having a laminar gas flow such that a coating layer surface moves upon impingement with the gas.

A method of coating a substrate comprising the steps of:

• applying a coating composition to the substrate with an applicator to produce a coating layer, wherein the applicator and the substrate remain spatially separate by a distance of from about 1 to about 30 millimeters while applying the coating composition, wherein the coating is a paint, wherein the coating composition is non-Newtonian such that a coating composition viscosity decreases when the shear rate is increased to the coating composition;
• and
• impinging the coating layer with a gas having a laminar gas flow such that a textured surface is formed on the coating layer, wherein the textured surface has a coating layer thickness that varies.