Latte art often looks polished and precise from the outside. But anyone who has ever poured a jug of milk over a fresh espresso knows the truth. Behind every heart, leaf or tulip is a mix of skill, repetition and more than a few happy accidents.
Sam, Coffee School’s Coffee Executive Officer, shows exactly how much personality sits behind the craft. His approach is simple. Understand the foundations, enjoy the process and do not be afraid of the mistakes. They are often the best part.
Watch Sam demonstrate the process here:
Consistency Creates the Foundation
As Sam prepares a coffee, he talks through the basics that make latte art possible.
“Making sure you put the right amount of milk in there every time is important. Overfilling the jug makes it difficult for you to create cream. Everything we teach is designed to create consistency. And if that consistency is there from the beginning, everything then flows after that.”
Good coffee starts with the fundamentals. The right dose, a smooth crema and properly textured milk give you the foundation to create any design you want.
Sam also focuses on something people often overlook. Sound.
“Listening to your milk is really important. Because if you can hear it screaming at you, so can the customer.”
Silky, well-textured milk does not scream. It whispers. And it becomes the perfect canvas for latte art.
Simple Patterns That Make an Impact
Once the milk is ready and the coffee is extracted, the patterns come to life. Sam explains the importance of starting with the basics.
“We need to have coffee with crema. The crema is what allows us to then cut into it and create the patterns that we want.”
He demonstrates how a fern or a tulip comes together with just a few small movements.
“A tulip is basically two, three, four, five hearts pushed onto each other. You start with one. Always start in the middle. Start to let the froth in, and then stop. Bank more hearts behind it, and then pull it through.”
The simplicity is what makes latte art so accessible. If you understand the process, the rest comes from practice.
From Rosettas to Ant Faces
Not every pour turns out as expected. Sometimes a leaf becomes a blob, sometimes a heart becomes a face and sometimes a pattern ends up looking like an ant.
According to Sam, this is not a failure but an opportunity.
“Coffee making, latte art in particular, is all about practice. But even if you get this wrong, it is fine. Because part of the role is to understand how you can then use a mistake to work in your favour.”
A customer might laugh, tilt their head, or point something out. That spark of curiosity is part of the experience.
See the art come to life here:
Turning Mistakes into Moments
Sam explains exactly how to use those unplanned designs to create genuine connection.
“You can do that by suggesting to the customer about some design that might be lurking around in the background. And as soon as they say, yes, I can see that, that is when you walk away. Because then they spend the next five minutes looking at it, finding it, taking photos, sending it to their friends. That is how you use latte art.”
Those small interactions are what customers remember. They are the moments that get photographed, shared online and talked about long after the cup is empty.
As Sam says, “If I am having fun doing this, they are having fun watching me do it. That is what it is all about.”
The Heart of It All
The magic of latte art is not in perfection. It is in the personality behind the pour and the interaction that follows. A swirl, a slip or a surprise shape can turn an ordinary coffee into a story someone wants to share.
Baristas who embrace this creative, playful side of the craft often find they build stronger rapport with customers and enjoy the process more themselves.
Discover the Art Behind the Moments
If you want to build confidence, improve your milk texturing and learn how to create latte art that customers talk about, Coffee School can help you get started.
Explore our full range of barista training options in Sydney and Melbourne and find the right path for your coffee journey.
If you have questions or would like guidance choosing the best course, you can contact our
team directly.
