A system for detection and coating analysis that comprises a digital camera and a light-based protractor positioned adjacent to or on a physical coating surface. The system identifyies a particular angular indication being displayed by the light-based protractor. The system then identifies a target color of the physical coating surface and identifies one or more target coating texture characteristics of the physical coating surface. Additionally, the system identifies a proposed coating that comprises a proposed color that matches the target color and proposed coating characteristics that match the one or more target coating texture characteristics. The system then displays, on a user interface, the proposed coating.