My Latte Art After a Hundred Cups: What Improved and What Still Needs Work

From White Foam to Something I’m Proud Of

When I first started trying latte art, I was happy just to see white foam appear on the surface.

There didn’t have to be a proper shape. Getting that white part to show already felt like an improvement.

The milk was one of the confusing parts. Sometimes it was thick, sometimes thin, and I was still learning how to get it ready for pouring.

An early attempt, when getting white foam on top already made me happy.

Being an artistic person helped keep me interested. I liked seeing what my colleagues could make, and I wanted to be able to do it myself.

What Has Improved

These days, I feel confident making good coffee and latte art in the office.

That feels quite different from watching someone else work the machine and wondering how they made it look so professional. Now I get to make the drink and pour the art myself.

Sometimes someone sees the result and says, “Wow, how long have you been practising?”

I enjoy that reaction. I remember being impressed by my colleagues in the same way, so it feels good to see someone taking an interest in my coffee.

A more recent cup that I feel proud of.

I also get to drink what I make. Espresso with milk is my everyday coffee, so enjoying the finished drink matters to me as much as looking at it.

What I Still Want to Work On

What I want to improve now is repeatability.

I want more control over the milk and the pour, so I can make a design deliberately and understand what helped it turn out well.

I’d like to be able to look at a cup and have a clearer idea of what to keep doing or what to adjust next time.

I’m happy with how far I’ve come. Those first patches of white foam gave me somewhere to start, and there’s still plenty in the process that I want to get better at.