The best replacement for painting is photography.

The best alternatives to painting are rated as following:
★★★★★  photography
★★★  staining
★★★  drawing
★★★  sculpture
★★★  staining concrete
★★★  staining cabinets
★★★  staining kitchen cabinets
★★★  siding
★★  print
★★  staining a deck
★★  vinyl siding
★★  acrylic
★  powder coating
★  staining wood
★  wallpaper
★  brush painting
★  refacing kitchen cabinets
★  acrylic painting
★  photo
★  powder coating rims
★  staining deck
★  refacing cabinets
★  vinyl siding cost
  powder coating wheels
  picture
  hand painting
  staining bricks
  oil painting
  staining treated lumber
  rollers
  illustration
  coating
  staining brick
  staining decks
  watercolor
  oil

Your alternative for painting is not listed? Suggest!
Speaking about painting, one probably shouldn't forget about gouache.

Other search terms related to painting and their ratings are:
★★★★★ gouache
★★★★★ brush
★★★★ priming
You have in mind a companion for painting and it is not yet here? Propose!



Google Trends

Scale is based on the average worldwide traffic of painting in all years. Click on graph for more.
painting
photography
staining