We developed a method for depositing live cells and large particles in uniform, close-packed monolayers. It is based on convective assembly at high volume fractions in the presence of sedimentation ("convective-sedimentation" assembly), and allows rapid deposition of uniform, close-packed coatings of yeast cells onto a glass plate (see figure). A computational model was developed to calculate the thickness profile of a coating by breaking the deposition mechanism into three discrete components: convection, evaporation, and sedimentation. The use of this model, in conjunction with parametric experiments, determined that both increasing the forward angle of the device and decreasing the angle between the slides in the device increase the uniformity of the coatings deposited. In the next step of this work, the convective-sedimentation assembly was used to deposit composite coatings of live cells and large latex particles as prototypes of self-cleaning materials. The latex particles form a protective, porous cover over the yeast cells, which cluster around the bottom parts of the microspheres. When exposed to growth media, the cells proliferate and form a layer over the latex particles. When this coating is exposed to fluid flow, the overlaying cell layer is sloughed off, along with any debris that collects on the layer of cells. The cells remaining with the latex particles in the coating will then continue to proliferate, thereby regenerating the coating.