The beautiful world of latte art uncovered

The Dos and Don't of Latte Art

Latte art is not one uniform process that you can just follow. Artists need to be informed of multiple elements like pouring techniques, design types and of course, do’s and don’ts while venturing into the field. As widely discussed, etching and free pouring are the two major artistic techniques used for the creation of these designs. The latter is usually observed more in American cafes more than anywhere else and is taken to be a time saving process while the former requires skill and time which may be a deterrent for cafes which have multiple customers to attend to.

The free pouring technique usually spawns designs like the rosette or fern design and of course, the acclaimed heart shape. The latter is easier to execute while the former represents a newer level of complexity. Flowery shapes are created when latte artists keep the pitcher moving sideways or back and forth while leveling and striking into the heart of the pattern forces it into the shape of a flower. Heart and apple shapes are created with pouring techniques that are more blatant in comparison and variations of the same. Poured latte art stays longer as compared to etched designs which are executed with coffee stirrers. 

Extraordinary Latte Artist

There are some other dos and don’ts for latte artists which are covered below:

• Only fresh and cold milk must be used by latte artists
• Milk should never undergo light or heat exposure before being steamed
• Same milk portions for different designs are avoidable
• Artists should use stainless steel jugs with spouts that are narrow
• A little more milk should be used than required to prevent unnecessary heating up
• Artists should consult thermometers that can be attached to jugs and should be readable easily
• Steam wands have to be freed of possible condensation before usage
• These wands are only to be switched on after being inserted into the milk
• Strong and thick crema layers are required for the espresso
• Always make use of cups with wider surfaces
• Foaming should only be carried out till 40 degrees Celsius

There are some popular designs which have fascinated latte artists and customers alike and these are listed below:

Amazing Latte Artist not with the Strip View Cafe

• The Rosette design has been covered earlier and takes loads of practice to master
• Heart designs have been in vogue since 1989 and are the most common ones you find at most cafes
• The devil design with a tongue sticking out in some cases, is an iconic latte symbol
• Ghost designs are well liked with a phantasmal effect created by the fading of foam round the edges

There are multiple other bird and animal themed designs including bears, bunnies, dinosaurs, giraffes and squirrels which can only be created by seasoned latte artists with considerable experience under their belt. Latte art is a beautiful expression of creativity and is steadily catching the attention of the global populace who want more than a mere coffee guzzling experience so go to your next coffee house and make use of the full latte art experience.