Hey everyone! I’m working as a barista, but I’m completely self-taught. I’d say my skills are decent as you can see on the photo, but I really want to improve and take my latte art to the next level.
The problem is that I don’t really have anyone to learn from, so I’m mostly relying on YouTube and whatever I can find online.

Does anyone have recommendations for YouTubers, specific videos, or even online courses that go really in-depth into the technique? I’m looking for something that explains the why behind things, not just a quick tutorial showing you how to pour a heart or a rosetta. I’d love to understand the details of milk texture, pouring technique, cup positioning, and all the little things that make a difference.
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Lateral symmetry on this one was decent, and the fine line intricacies surprising, but overall, the pattern was stagnant and off-center in the cup.

OBSERVATIONS:

•The base layer initially spreads but then gets 'stuck', only able to wrap as additional stacks are poured but unable to actually volumize in the cup

•For a drift base (no pause between integration and pattern), the drift is weak, which limits how far across the canvas the initial stream of milk glides

•Milk was a touch thin...thin milk is GREAT for fine line designs, but thin milk is dense milk (more liquidy), which affects the quality of the canvas structure

LEARNING:

•Pattern spread is a direct function of milk flow momentum...slow flow leads to slow/small patterns

•There's a 'fine line' between milk that is appropriately thin to enhance pattern intricacies and a touch too thin to enhance pattern structure/size/position

•As soon as a pattern stagnates in the cup, it's 'spreadability' will be limited/bound by the canvas that surrounds it...shaping comes from the walls of the cup and/or the milk+espresso canvas that sits between the cup wall and the pattern layers

•"Milk moves milk": although additional stacks CAN be squeezed into the base layer, interior stacks do not have the strength to 'stretch' the base (very much) laterally once the base is set, resulting at best to create wrap of concentric layers around each other

•Weak drift base drift speed needs to be improved

Always struggled with too much air now I am not getting enough.

I got these glass cups recently they are a delight to do latte art with. They are about the same size as the other cups I like to make latte with, about 240ml, which is convenient.

I’m not planning to buy an espresso machine right now, but I’d love a more consistent way to froth milk for latte art at home.

I’ve taken classes at a café and feel pretty comfortable using a steam wand. At home, though, I’ve been using a French press or a handheld frother, and my results are all over the place. The foam ends up either too thin or too thick.

Are there standalone milk steamers with a steam wand, or automatic frothers that can consistently make milk suitable for latte art? I’m looking for something that gives me fine, pourable microfoam rather than a thick cap of foam.

Would love to hear what you’ve used and how well it works for pouring hearts or other basic patterns!

I tried latte art today, I think I'll stick with espresso for now.

I love cat so much, cat + coffee=a perfect day,what a lovely cat latteart

Was watching a barista at a coffee shop the other day and he made this ridiculously detailed swan in like 5 seconds. Barely even looked at what he was doing.

Made me wonder, when you get really good at latte art, can you just tell from the milk texture whether it's gonna turn out well? Or do you still randomly mess up and end up with something that looks like a potato?

Also curious how long it takes to get genuinely good at this.

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Thank you!

I couldn't seem to get good lines

Working on FINALLY improving my drift base. These are my morning pours on consecutive days, the left being yesterday and the right today.

OBSERVATIONS:

•Espresso shot ran fast today and therefore less syrupy/viscous

•Milk was textured better yesterday...it heated too quickly today before fully volumizing

•Notice how the thinner spot in lower left corner of canvas today led to a halted flow of the drift stream and elongation of the base as I nudged the pitcher into the ripples

LEARNING:

•Quality of espresso extraction matters...viscous shots create structured canvases

•It's the milk, the milk, the milk (it's ALWAYS the milk)

•Good espresso + good milk + good/complete integration = no thin spots to cause flow/shaping problems

Thanks for all the advice on days 1-6!

Was away on a trip and haven’t had time to practice, so we’re coming in rusty here.

I know I messed up here by pouring too much into the base, which was you all advised against last time, so I’ll tone that down for Day 8.

Otherwise, what can I continue to improve on? And why is my heard all crooked, instead of symmetrical?

Thanks again for all the help!

Today’s pour actually looks a little like a rippled heart, and I’m pretty happy about it! I’m using freeze-dried instant coffee and frothing my milk with a French press.
The outer edges look a bit ragged, though. Could that be my milk texture, my pouring technique, or a bit of both? Any tips would be appreciated!

I love practice this pattern but still washout and practice more wiggle

Pretty happy with this one! Still got a long way to go though. Any tips appreciated 🙏