Have you ever been served a coffee with artwork on top? Well, that design on your espresso is known as latte art. It is usually created by drawing on the froth right after the latte is made. This is difficult you may think, but as with all the other arts, practice leads to perfection. Most quality coffee shops feature latte art these days, the subtle artwork adding appeal and excitement to a cup of coffee.

Many different latte art designs exist, with new ones being created all the time. You have have seen designs such as cats, stars, leaves, and swans. The most popular latte art design in the heart, which is an easy basic design to make. Another popular design is the rosetta, more difficult to create then the heart. Master latte artists can create much more such as faces, animals, flowers and play with the colour of the coffee to produce attractive patterns with lots of detail.

If you wish to learn this art, a lot of training classes can be found. You can also learn it by yourself by watching tutorial videos online. There are two basic methods of making this art. First one is the free pouring technique where the patterns are made when the milk is poured into the espresso. The second method is the etching where the pattern is made after the milk is poured using a stick. Before one adds the milk to create the white part of the design, the espresso should have an even brown surface.

The free pour is achieved by keeping the cup flat or slightly tilted on the table top. Pouring in a particular way, the white foam rises to the surface, straight up or sideways depending on the cups initial placement. Placing the cup level with the table and pouring slowly and particularity will result in a heart like shape while movement on the pour can result in the leaf or fern pattern.

Using etching, a barista may execute very complex patterns that are impossible to do with the standard pouring techniques beyond the free pouring techniques but with etching the foam dissolves into the milk layer making these patterns have a short life span. Perfecting latte art techniques may take years or more, but a experienced barista can make designs effortlessly.

There are many factors that effect the end result. These factors including the type of espresso used, the espresso machine, the thickness of the foam later as well as the ability of the latte artist. It is fairly easy to practice this each day as coffee is consumed often, even if you don\’t work in a coffee shop. If you ever plan to work as a barista these skills will come is very handy. If you want to check out more latte art in your local area, many competitions exist. Ask your local latte art serving coffee shop about events in your area.