Abstract: The invention relates to a procedure for applying a coating with metallic or ceramic finish on the entirety or part of the surface of a thermoplastic, metallic or metallic alloy article, which comprises: preparing the thermoplastic, metallic, or metallic alloy article; applying on the article a base polymeric layer based on aqueous dispersions of resins without volatile organic components or on dispersions in organic solvents of resins without urethane; curing the base polymeric layer; and depositing a single layer of a metallic or ceramic material on the article coated with the cured base polymeric layer. The curing of the base polymeric layer is carried out at a temperature of between 30 and 80° C. in the case of thermal polymeric layers, or by means of ultraviolet radiation in the case of photosensitive polymeric layers. Optionally, a second transparent polymeric layer can be applied for protective purposes.