A coating containing pigment particles and a polymer matrix is provided. The coating contains pigment particles that have a scattering coefficient with a linear or quasi-linear relationship to the pigment volume concentration of those pigment particles. The coating has improved hiding and is useful as a protective coating or an aesthetic coating on an underlying substrate. Also provided are compositions useful for preparing the coating, including covalently bonded composite particles and aqueous dispersions containing composite particles. The composite particles each contain a pigment particle with a plurality of polymer particles attached by adsorption on the outer surface of the pigment particle or by covalent bonding to the pigment particle through a coupling agent. Methods to prepare the composite particles and coating compositions containing the composite particles are also provided.