Aqueous coating composition for optical brightening and shading of substrates comprising (a) at least one optical brightener of formula in which the anionic charge on the brightener is balanced by a cationic charge composed of one or more identical or different cations selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds, R 1 and R 1 ' are the same or different, and each is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH 2 CH 2 CONH 2 or CH 2 CH 2 CN, R 2 and R 2 ' are the same or different, and each is C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH(CO 2 -)CH 2 CO 2 - or CH 2 CH 2 SO 3 - and p is 0, 1 or 2. (b) at least one shading dye of formula in which R 3 signifies H, methyl or ethyl, R 4 signifies paramethoxyphenyl, methyl or ethyl, M signifies a cation selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl radical, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds, (c) at least one white pigment, (d) at least one primary binder, (e) optionally one or more secondary binders and (f) water, wherein in compounds of formula for which p is 1, the SO 3 - group is in the 4-position of the phenyl group and in compounds of formula for which p is 2, the SO 3 - groups are in the 2,5-positions of the phenyl group. (a) at least one optical brightener of formula in which the anionic charge on the brightener is balanced by a cationic charge composed of one or more identical or different cations selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds, R 1 and R 1 ' are the same or different, and each is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH 2 CH 2 CONH 2 or CH 2 CH 2 CN, R 2 and R 2 ' are the same or different, and each is C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH(CO 2 -)CH 2 CO 2 - or CH 2 CH 2 SO 3 - and p is 0, 1 or 2. R 1 and R 1 ' are the same or different, and each is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH 2 CH 2 CONH 2 or CH 2 CH 2 CN, R 2 and R 2 ' are the same or different, and each is C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl, C 2 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl, CH 2 CO 2 -, CH(CO 2 -)CH 2 CO 2 - or CH 2 CH 2 SO 3 - and p is 0, 1 or 2. (b) at least one shading dye of formula in which R 3 signifies H, methyl or ethyl, R 4 signifies paramethoxyphenyl, methyl or ethyl, M signifies a cation selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl radical, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds, R 3 signifies H, methyl or ethyl, R 4 signifies paramethoxyphenyl, methyl or ethyl, M signifies a cation selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkyl radical, ammonium which is mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a C 1 -C 4 linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical, ammonium which is, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted by a mixture of C 1 -C 4 linear or branched alkylradical and linear or branched hydroxyalkyl radical or mixtures of said compounds, (c) at least one white pigment, (d) at least one primary binder, (e) optionally one or more secondary binders and (f) water,