This invention relates to an applicator for applying coating medium, in particular coating medium in several layers onto a running web surface. The applicator includes several curtain heads, which are arranged at random distances apart and from which the coating media or colors are dispensed downward, and an inclined guide face which—as the result of lamination of the coating media or colors dispensed one after the other from each of the several curtain heads along the incline in order to form the several medium or color layers and, in addition, to form a color curtain from a curtain guide part pointing downwards—moves the color layers at the end of the part of the incline onto the web surface.