How to Choose the Right Cup for Latte Art

Understanding the shape of the cup and the position of the handle

We move on to the third topic of our training. Cup selection. In this article, I'll tell you about the shapes and volumes of suitable latte art cups, their sizes, and how you can interact with it while drawing.

Shape and volume

‍To begin with, I will say this: the upper diameter of the cup is very important. The bigger it is, the better. Equally important is the bottom of the cup. How much it expands. Cups with a narrow bottom, smooth expansion and a large top diameter will be the most suitable. Smooth upward expansion is always better. 

Form Factor

‍The larger the form factor of the cup, the better the drawing will turn out and the more elements you can draw in such a cup. But even here there are nuances. In wide cups, with a very smooth expansion, you can draw many elements and it will be extremely convenient. But simple drawings, such as a heart or a two-element tulip, will turn out worse in them than, for example, in cups with a less smooth expansion.

The worst latte art cups will be those that either have no expansion at all, or vice versa - they taper up. I can conclude that it is not the upper diameter of the cup that is important, but specifically the shape. Why is that?

In cups suitable for latte art - when we pour in the first element - as the cup expands, it increases in size and we have room for additional elements, because the elements spread out. In those cups that taper to the upper diameter, the pattern will only decrease as they fill, no matter how hard you try to fix it. The milk will simply sink.

Cup Size

‍And, if the logic in choosing a cup is clear, we will touch on its size. Conditionally: I have two cups of the same company. They are similar in shape, but of different volumes. There is a myth that it is easier to draw in a large cup. In fact, no. In most cases, the opposite is true: it is more difficult to draw in a large cup than in a smaller one.

In a large cup, due to the larger diameter, area and volume, you can draw more complex elements - this is a fact. But if we talk about simple elements - a heart or a tulip-then in a smaller cup such drawings will turn out much better. But even here there is a limit. If the cup is very small, then this will not work. The optimal volume of a suitable cup is 200-240 milliliters. The firm doesn't matter. What matters is exactly how it expands and what its diameter is. The thickness of the cup also doesn't play any role for latte art, only for heat retention.

A pen

For latte art, a pen is important to us. Let's consider a couple of important points. Regarding simple drawings: we can - and I think it's very convenient! - hold the cup by the handle. This is faster to work with and makes it easier to grab a cup. I quickly drew it and put it back. If I hold the bottom, I have to constantly help with my other hand to get the cup right. After drawing, you need to set aside the pitcher, help again with the second hand, and it is also possible to touch the guest's zone. By the way, the guest area is about 1 centimeter from the edge of the cup. Therefore, it is faster and more convenient for simple drawings to take up the pen.

As for cups without handles. When evaluating latte art, if the cup has a handle, we look at how much the drawing is correct in relation to the handle. That is, we strive to ensure that the pen looks clearly for three hours. The drawing should be positioned perpendicular to the handle. That's why - it started with the championships, where they decided to remove this problem-they began to use cups without handles more often. There is no pen, so there is always a perfect harmony of the drawing and it is directed at the guest, no matter in which direction it is drawn.

Another important point is that the more complex the drawing you want to draw, the more important it is for you to hold the cup exactly by the bottom. If you hold the cup by the handle, the hand is always in the same position. But if we take the bottom, the hand holding the cup will become so mobile that you can easily turn it 360 degrees, which is extremely important in complex latte art.