The invention relates to a process for the production of decorative coatings, comprising the following steps: A) providing a substrate to be coated and a backing film coated on one side with an uncured or only partially cured coating of a coating composition curable by means of high-energy radiation, B) forming zones on the backing film which are opaque to high-energy radiation and correspond to the negative image of a desired pattern or decoration, C) applying the coated side of the backing film having the uncured or only partially cured coating of a coating composition curable by means of high-energy radiation with the coated side thereof onto a substrate surface, D) curing the coating applied by the backing film by irradiation with high-energy radiation through the backing film, E) removing the backing film from the coating which remains on the substrate, and F) removing the un-irradiated and thus uncured parts of the coating remaining on the substrate to obtain the desired pattern or decoration.