Abstract: A method and coating material for applying electrically conductive printed patterns to insulating substrates is provided. The coating material includes a non-metallic, grainy carrier substance having metal of the oxidation degree 0 applied thereto. An energy radiation source, particularly of a deflectable laser beam, is used to secure anchoring of the carrier substance to the substrate in the region of the desired printed pattern. As a consequence of a three-dimensional arrangement of the metal, a three-dimensional nuclei distribution is produced that leads to a reliable and fast metallization of the printed pattern on the basis of chemical metal deposition. The method of the invention is especially suited for laser pattern transfer for the manufacture of printed circuit boards.