How to draw on coffee. Latte art - for beginners, directions

Trying to keep warm in the cold and rainy autumn, we will never refuse a cup of hot, invigorating coffee. Many of us need coffee constantly to get everything done and stay energetic. And how nice it is when, running into a coffee shop for this invigorating drink, you see a cute design of foam on it! The mood immediately improves, the coffee becomes even tastier, and it seems that it is much more pleasant to warm up with it. Therefore, we decided to tell you a little about drawings on coffee and teach you how to draw on coffee at home!

Capuchin monks from Italy were the first to notice that unusual patterns sometimes appear on coffee. – This is how the idea of ​​drawing on coffee came about. Nowadays this skill is called latte art, and the coffee artist is called a barista.

Some coffee bartenders use stencils to apply a design, but creating a pattern without auxiliary materials, when you simply calculate the movements with which you pour milk foam into an espresso or Americano, is considered true art.

Nowadays, the art of drawing on coffee is rapidly developing, and baristas are learning more and more complex and unusual latte art techniques: foam portraits, three-dimensional images, the use of cinnamon, syrups and much more.

But there are several classic coffee designs that are where latte art began. They are much simpler, so you can try them at home.

Heart

To draw on coffee, you will need foamed milk with a fat content of 3.4% heated to 62-65 degrees and well-brewed espresso, otherwise you will not be able to draw a pattern. Hold the container of foam five centimeters from the glass of coffee, tilt the glass slightly and pour in the foam in a circular motion. At the very end, bring the foam glass closer to the coffee and “cross out” the resulting circle.

Rosetta

Pour the milk into the espresso in a thin stream. Hold the foam glass high above the coffee. Then begin to lower the vessel with milk lower, making slight movements to the right and left. With the last movement, “cross out” the drawing.

Tulip

Pour foam into coffee. When the glass is half full, make several hearts and cross them with a milk strip.

Now you know a little more about the art of coffee painting and you can even try painting at home. Make this fall a little cozier by decorating your drink with patterns!

Julia Vern 19 155 0

The painting of milk foam on the surface of good coffee can be found in popular coffee shops and cafes. Latte art is a means of self-expression for a barista (coffee maker), an opportunity to show one’s creative potential. Through images on coffee, he respects the guest, lifts his spirits, surprises him, and makes contact with him.

However, the creative approach is based on strict compliance with the laws of the genre. It is known for sure that coffee gourmets, struck to the core by the skill of a professional, are ready to pay up to 100 euros for a cup of an exclusive drink.

Drawings on coffee can be very original

Milk foam and barista skill

At the dawn of the art of painting on coffee, coffee bartenders made do with a minimum of available materials. To amuse customers, they came up with the idea of ​​leaving a small “compliment” on the surface of the foam: a simple cream pattern in the shape of a heart or an apple, sprinkled with aromatic cinnamon. Soon the figures became more and more complex, experiments resulted in the current direction - latte art.

Nowadays you won’t surprise anyone with coffee drawing championships. There, real works of art are created, new application technologies are invented, aerobatics and virtuoso performance are demonstrated.

Skill plays a huge role in the latte art technique. But the main components are required:

  1. the highest quality espresso, prepared in compliance with all rules;
  2. fresh milk of the required fat content and temperature.

They serve as both canvas and paints, and the brush is a stream of whipped milk or a pointed stick. The decorations are built using chocolate or fruit syrup, chocolate chips, cinnamon powder, and natural cocoa.

The barista uses a sharp object to perfect the drawing.

Latte art directions

Latte art has standards and criteria as a movement that has received worldwide recognition. With their help, the quality of the prepared drink is assessed. According to the method of drawing, 4 directions have become widespread:

  • Etching. A popular, widely used trend of latte art. A distinctive feature is the design on the coffee, applied with frothed milk and a pointed object.
  • Cappuccino art. Food coloring is acceptable. Regular latte art is decorated with chocolate syrup and chocolate shavings.
  • Multi art. A combination of the first two directions. The bartender's mastery of the technique is characteristic. Creating dynamic images in a cup of espresso.
  • Espresso art. A simple design is applied to the espresso cream.

Informally, another line stands out - “unusual art”. Usually this is a way to joke with the client, creating funny faces and characters on the surface of the coffee, in order to improve the mood.

Very complex patterns can be created on the surface of coffee

Professional skills in using latte art technique

The idea of ​​latte art is to bring taste and aesthetic pleasure to the coffee shop visitor. Masters pay even more attention to the preparation of milk foam than to the quality of brewed espresso. The density, delicate taste, and height of the “cap” will depend on the consistency and size of the bubbles.

Chilled milk is whipped under pressure and at the same time heated to a certain temperature. Another method of whipping does not guarantee the desired consistency and preservation of the applied pattern. High-quality foam retains its “art” for more than 10 minutes.

Draw with a coffee and milk stream. On a cappuccino, drawing is done with milk foam, on a latte, on the contrary, by pouring a stream of coffee over the foam. They also use improvised means of various sharpness and subtlety, and for taste and decoration - syrups and cinnamon.

A beautiful drawing requires hard, careful work.

There are basic figures that even novice masters can easily reproduce:

  • Heart. A stream of milk foam forms a circle in the center of the cup until it is completely filled. The last stroke in the center of the circle is the final movement of the drawing.
  • Apple. A small portion of foam is used to form a “stem” near the wall. The milk flow then moves to the center of the cup. The jet forms a circle and the cup is filled to the top.
  • Flower. Direct the milk stream towards the far wall and carefully fill the cup 1/2 full. Then bring the milk jug closer to you, making rocking movements so that the foam fills like a snake. The last movement is to cross out the drawing with a small amount of milk.
  • Rosetta. It resembles both a flower and a leaf at the same time. The barista rocks the vessel while pouring milk, which creates different petal shapes. The final thin stripe in the middle forms the stem of the flower.

The pattern created by the master is influenced by the master’s technique and the following factors:

  • height of the milk jug above the surface of the cup;
  • oscillation frequency of the milk jet;
  • the point at which the stream of milk enters the cup;
  • infusion rate.

Coffee with voluminous figures looks very cute

Secrets of taste

A real barista always has his own secrets for creating unique latte art:

The prepared coffee has its own foam. If you sprinkle cocoa powder on it in a cup, the poured stream of milk foam will turn dark beige.

It is necessary to thoroughly study the behavior of foam when applying drawings. To “pull” the image in the desired direction, you need to sharply draw a line-stream. The height of the milk jug above the cup and the force of the jet are also taken into account. Training sometimes takes months.

Baristas know that the main flavor of coffee is concentrated in the coffee foam. To emphasize perfection, you need to position the drawing correctly. The execution of the classic “heart” allows the coffee foam to stick to the walls. This enhances the aroma and taste of the drink.

Trying to make latte art at home

The delightful masterpieces encourage connoisseurs to reproduce coffee designs at home. The miracle of technology that professional baristas use in coffee shops cannot be found at home. But there are several ways to properly froth milk without special units.

Important!
The main responsibility for high-quality foam lies with the freshness and fat content of the milk. A watery product will never produce results. It's better to use cream then.

The most affordable means for whipping is a hand mixer. You just need to froth the milk at the same time as heating it. The required temperature is 70°. Beat until smooth with a dense and delicate structure.

You can also use a manual cappuccino maker. An affordable household appliance operates on the principle of a mixer. The advantages of the device are the special design of the whisk - milk is whipped in a matter of minutes.

By the time the milk foam is prepared, the coffee should already be ready. Don't skimp on quality varieties. Cook in your favorite way: in a Turk, coffee maker, French press.

Coffee with a pattern on the foam is very beautiful and unusual

Experiment and create your own masterpieces using any method described or invented by you. Wonderful plants, funny images of animals, declarations of love will become the most sincere gift for loved ones.

Each era has its own distinctive characteristics: somewhere great artists appear, somewhere legendary musicians glorify their names, and somewhere real people achieve great results. The overseas word “barista” was literally not known to the common man about 5 years ago. And today he can show how to draw on coffee.

A little about profession and art

In Italy, local residents created a separate coffee culture several centuries ago, but the profession itself - coffee bartender - appeared relatively recently - about 50 years ago. Who is a barista? This is a professional coffee bartender who prepares all types of espresso, including lungo and ristretto, as well as all cocktails (cappuccino, macchiatto, latte and coretto).

How to draw on coffee? A professional barista will answer: “Very simple.” The art of drawing on coffee has appeared quite recently, and in order to master it perfectly, it is not at all necessary to complete a professional bartender course.

Professional requirements or what should a coffee bartender be able to do?

An interesting feature: in Italy, most often men become baristas, since latte art requires the greatest skill, honed over the years, but in the domestic restaurant industry, ladies become decorators of coffee cups.

A coffee bartender is not just an attractive appearance and the ability to create simple squiggles. The profession has special requirements that a real barista must fulfill:

  • Thoroughly know the rules and techniques for preparing espresso, its varieties and coffee-based drinks.
  • Have an excellent understanding of coffee, methods of growing it, varieties and preparation features.
  • To have perfect gourmet instincts - to be able to determine the type of coffee from half a sip.
  • Be able to prepare the most delicious coffee in the world, as well as draw unimaginable patterns and unsurpassed designs on the foam.

To create a small masterpiece that will disappear with the first sip of the visitor, the master hones his art for hours, or even weeks, tries, experiments and enjoys the amazing result. Understanding how to draw on coffee is not difficult. It is much more difficult to put theory into practice.

Master class from a real “barista”

Latte art - the art of creating drawings on coffee foam - requires a certain level of skill and skill. Any beginner can draw a simple heart, but creating three-dimensional images or drawings with small details requires learning.

First of all, you need to thoroughly froth the milk and pour it into the espresso correctly. The image itself is created in two ways:

  1. Regular drawing with a toothpick.
  2. Adding frothed milk using a special method.

In one case or another, a wide variety of patterns are created on the surface of the drink, ranging from simple figures to true masterpieces of coffee painting.

Drawing technique

There are several of them, but to perform any of them you should know a few secrets that will allow you to achieve excellent results. How to draw on coffee:

  • It is necessary to create a thick base for the image (cappuccino or espresso).
  • Use cream with a high percentage of fat content. They should not be whipped for a long time - a slight thickening will be enough.
  • It is recommended to whip cream in a special pitcher. The device was created specifically for latte art and, thanks to its design features, allows you to create magnificent drawings.
  • To achieve the best result, you need to sprinkle the surface of the drink with cocoa powder.

These small but very important secrets form the basis of coffee art. Everything else is a skill honed over the years.

How to make drawings on coffee?

There are several basic techniques that are used to create original decorative elements on the coffee surface. These are the basics of art that even a novice barista can master.

  • Pitching. This is the main and most difficult drawing technique. To create it, a special stainless steel jug is used - a pitcher. You can use it to draw a heart or a “rosetta” - this is the base for latte art.
  • Etching is a technique derived from pitching. For drawing, not only a special jug is used, but also sticks, toothpicks or skewers, which allow you to create more detailed images.
  • Mixed media - the name speaks eloquently for itself. Is a combination of the two above mentioned techniques. A distinctive feature is the ability to decorate the design with cinnamon, syrup or chocolate.

Art is developing rapidly. Currently, there are special courses that provide latte art training, and already today various contests and competitions are held in this area, where professional baristas demonstrate their skills.

Stencil and 3D painting techniques

This is the simplest technique for applying a design to the surface of coffee. To create a pattern, special stencils for latte art are used, with which you can create complex and detailed images. The technique is accessible even to an unprepared beginner - stencils are available for free sale. Having tried several times to create original drawings, you can surprise your family and friends with an unusual drink, decorated with fancy decorations.

3D technique is the most effective and impressive way to create a drawing. Japanese barista Kazuki Yamamoto has achieved the greatest mastery in this area of ​​art. He easily creates incredibly voluminous and realistic images from whipped cream, from which you cannot take your eyes off.

From simple to complex

Everything is clear in theory. All that remains is to apply the knowledge in practice and understand how to do it. It is worth recalling once again the pitching technique - the basis of all the basics - and the two main figures - the heart and the “rosetta”. To get a simple one, you need to whip the milk in a special jug and carefully pour it into the espresso, while shaking the pitcher from side to side. This is necessary in order to obtain petals of different sizes. you need to hold it at an angle - this is necessary so that the coffee foam does not fall. At the very end, all that remains is to draw a thin stream of milk - a “rosetta” stem.

Drawing a heart is even easier. To do this, you need to direct the milk flow to the center of the cup, and then, swinging the pitcher from side to side, form a small circle. Having filled the cup, lift the jug and cross out the diameter of the circle with a small stream of milk. This way the circle is slightly stretched in the direction of the last movement and a charming heart is created.

Latte art is art in its true manifestation, which is mastered to perfection by professional baristas. However, anyone who wants to touch the art of coffee can create small masterpieces.

Food should not only be tasty, but also... beautiful! This simple wisdom has long been confirmed by scientists, psychologists and nutritionists! Of course, the more beautiful a dish looks, the more we want to eat it. The same can be said about drinks, which in our time have turned into real masterpieces of culinary art. At the same time, not only cocktails decorated with cream, berries or syrup are aesthetically pleasing, but also coffee. Latte art today is a separate type of art, which, of course, is not easy to master, but it is still possible! We will learn how to do this from our article!

Latte art arose at the end of the last century and over a couple of decades has become incredibly popular! However, the first manifestations of latte art can be found in medieval Italy. Surprisingly enough, we owe his birth to the monks! They were the first to notice that cream forms very beautiful and unusual patterns on the surface of coffee. Today, coffee decorated with all kinds of designs can be found in almost all specialized establishments, cafes and restaurants.

Secrets of mastery

Learning to make drawings on coffee is not easy. To do this, you need to know how to whip cream correctly, how to pour it on coffee, and how to move your hand correctly. We can safely say that latte art masters have an artistic gift. However, you will also be able to master basic drawing techniques. Let's look at some secrets of latte art.

  1. The base for drawings should be thick. Therefore, thick cappuccino or espresso is best for drawing.
  2. Use heavy cream(30-35%). At the same time, you should not beat them for a long time; they should only thicken slightly. The best way to do this is with a coffee maker steamer.
  3. Whip the cream in a special stainless steel jug pitcher. It is created specifically for creating latte art. The spout of this jug allows you to make precise and beautiful designs.
  4. To achieve better results sprinkle the surface of the coffee with cocoa powder.

Drawing technique

So how to make a drawing on coffee? To answer this question, let's get acquainted with the basic techniques of this culinary art form.

Pitching

This is the basic and perhaps the most complex latte art technique. This is what can be considered basic. In order to create a drawing using this technique, the master uses only a pitcher. The main figures in this case are a heart, a flower and an apple, the rest of the designs are considered derivatives.

Etching

It is a derivative of pitching. In this case, the barista uses not only a pitcher, but also additional devices: skewers, brushes or toothpicks, which greatly facilitates the process of creating a design and expands the scope for imagination.

Mixed media

The name of this technique speaks for itself. It includes both elements of pitching and etching. At the same time, its distinctive feature is the ability to use additional products, for example, nuts, cinnamon, chocolate, syrup.

Stencil technology

Perhaps the simplest of all the techniques presented. To create a pattern in this case, a ready-made stencil is used, with which the pattern is applied to the surface of the coffee. This allows even a non-professional to create complex drawings and inscriptions.

3D technology

The most effective drawing technique! Thus, Japanese barista Kazuki Yamamoto shocked the world of coffee art with his mesmerizing works. The characters created by the master from airy foam look very realistic and incredibly beautiful!

Well, after a short review of existing techniques, let’s try to put the acquired knowledge into practice and make drawings on coffee ourselves! A selection of our videos will help you with this! Good luck in your creativity and, of course, enjoy your coffee!


Very beautiful drawings, it’s a pity to even drink such coffee!


How to make a drawing on coffee

Did anyone think that time would pass and people would draw on coffee? Many people are interested in how to make a drawing on coffee to make a beautiful drawing.

For example, a cappuccino will look more attractive and tastier if you draw some interesting design on its foam. This is practically not difficult to do.

How to make a drawing on coffee?

    For this we will need: a cup of ready-made coffee, cream, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, a stencil, a skewer for drawing, a pastry syringe with the thinnest nozzle.

You may also need other edible decorations. This can be multi-colored coconut flakes, powdered sugar and more. It all depends only on your imagination and your capabilities. Try yourself as a talented artist.

Drawings on coffee should only be done with products that can be eaten. To do this, whip the cream until it becomes soft foam. The easiest way to make an interesting and beautiful drawing is using a stencil and cocoa.

Take the stencil, place it on the coffee and carefully sprinkle cocoa on top. Carefully remove the stencil and that’s it. The drawing is ready. It's that simple and fast. You can choose completely different designs. It all depends on the shape of your stencil. This method works best with mocha coffee. A great combination and beautiful looking coffee in seconds.

If you want to draw the design you want on your own, without using a stencil, then you will also need your drawing skills and your imagination. For this you will need an ordinary pastry syringe. For drawing, choose the thinnest syringe and fill it with melted chocolate. Take a cup with already poured ready-made coffee and go ahead. Draw. The drawings will depend only directly on your imagination.

You can also create a beautiful design using an ordinary skewer. To do this, again, you will need a cup of coffee, cream and some melted chocolate. In a cup of coffee, stir some cream and chocolate on the surface. Now on this surface you can easily draw figures with a skewer and make beautiful drawings. Here, again, everything depends on your imagination.

To decorate these designs, you can use coconut shavings in different colors or other edible decorations.
How to make a drawing on coffee, we told you all these options are simple and do not require much effort. With the help of drawings you can surprise and make a pleasant gift to your friends and family. Beautiful, simple, creative and unusual. Try it and your coffee will become more beautiful and appetizing.

Drawings made on coffee foam are called latte art. This art requires a lot of effort. Not everyone can do this. How to draw on coffee correctly to get a beautiful drawing? Before drawing on coffee foam, it takes a year, or even more time, to be able to professionally make such unusual and appetizing drawings.

If you want to surprise your guests and make them such an interesting coffee, but you have absolutely no time for training, then the following drawing methods will come to your aid. There are two of them: stencil method and engraving.
The first method is the simplest method of drawing on coffee foam, and it is accessible to everyone. The essence of this drawing method is that a special lid with a stencil is placed on top of the poured cup of coffee. The surface of the stencil should be sprinkled with ground cinnamon. This stencil has special drawings

(slots) through which cinnamon will spill onto the coffee foam and thereby create an unusual and simple design. Beauty! Cinnamon will make the taste of coffee richer and more unusual, giving it a special taste and aroma. Using a stencil lid, you can make unusual designs not only from cinnamon, but also from powdered sugar, vanilla, and ground pepper. This will give the cup of coffee an attractive appearance, and the drink itself an unusual taste and bright aroma.
Stencils for drawings on coffee can be purchased at the store, or made with your own hands from cardboard.

Another method of drawing on coffee is engraving. You can make it using a special syrup. You can take fruit, milk or chocolate syrup. This syrup needs to be poured with a very, very thin thread onto the coffee foam, while making patterns that interest you. Accuracy and precision of movement are important here. Not everyone can do this. Therefore, of course, it’s up to you to decide, but the first method is much simpler and easier.

Latte art

In order to learn how to draw on coffee, you need to have not only imagination, but also talent. Art such as painting on coffee also has another name - latte art. This latte art skill is almost impossible to master at home; you need a specialist in this field. But as they say: “if you really want to, you can learn anything.” Today we will tell you how to draw on coffee at home.

For this activity you will need: a cup of coffee, ground coffee, fine chocolate, a coffee machine, a pitcher and cinnamon. The technique of the art of drawing on coffee is as follows: you need to take specially prepared milk and slowly pour it into the coffee drink. Then gradually stir it so that various patterns or shapes are formed on the surface of the drink. In all establishments where latte art is practiced, the person in charge is always the barista, in other words, a bartender who has completed special courses in drawing on coffee.

When creating a design on coffee, you must have a coffee maker on hand. It is necessary to prepare milk froth in the coffee machine. To do this, the milk must be pasteurized and have a fat content of 3-3.5%. This milk must be poured into a stainless steel jug (pitcher). This pitcher was invented specifically for latte art. The milk level should not exceed the base of the jug.

This container must be brought close to the steam wand located on the coffee maker. Then we lower the steam tap into the middle of the pitcher, but the hole in its tip should have a distance of 1-2 centimeters from the surface of the milk. Afterwards, you need to open the steam tap, from which milk foam will gradually form. This foam making procedure will take approximately 5 to 20 seconds.

The coffee maker needs to make very thick espresso coffee. The resulting drink must be poured into a special container. To make the design more expressive, the milk foam should be sprinkled with cinnamon or finely grated chocolate. Milk must be poured into the resulting espresso in small portions, and the spout of the jug (pitcher) will reflect the role of the pencil in creating the future drawing.

There are three main shapes in latte art: apple, heart, flower.
In order to draw an apple, you need to pour milk foam onto the edge of the cup wall, which will later be displayed in the form of a sprig of this fruit. After which we place the spout of the jug (pitcher) in the center of the cup and slowly draw a circle resembling an apple. Fill the resulting circle with foam.

We draw all other figures according to the same principle as the apple. Now you know how to draw on coffee at home, be sure to try it.

Don’t worry if the drawing doesn’t work out the first time, try it and you will certainly be able to surprise your loved ones with beautiful masterpieces using your favorite drink.

By making such an unusual coffee with an aromatic design, you can surprise your friends and family every day with such a wonderful and tasty drink. This coffee will not only give you taste and aroma, but will also surprise you with its unusualness. Let meetings with your loved ones and friends become frequent and unforgettable for you!