If you’re a coffee lover with a creative side, or even an artist seeking a new and innovative medium to work with, you’re in luck. Painting with coffee is a unique way to incorporate the two great loves of so many – art and java. This isn’t an entirely new practice either, even though it’s been in more recent years that painting with coffee has grown in popularity. You see, for decades now, even centuries actually, the masters have been experimenting with and utilizing shades and tones developed with brush strokes through coffee on paper to create beautiful works of art. Fantastic images of landscapes, architecture, still life, animals, portraits and more are all the result of coffee incorporated with imagination. Today, in modern times, there are even gallery shows and international competitions for this type of artistic avenue – it is appealing in a global sense for both painters and spectators alike. People are truly amazed when viewing these pieces, that they’ve been painted entirely in coffee.

Try Your Hand

If you’d like to try your hand at coffee art painting, all you’ll need to get started is your canvas - watercolor paper is recommended as it’s texturized and made of a heavier stock than some other forms of paper which would become quickly saturated and tear-, a few brushes and some coffee. You may want to have several cups of coffee handy in fact, because by adding different amounts of water to them, you can easily change the hue of your ‘paint’ – pure, black coffee will of course provide a darker tone; add a little water and develop it into lighter colors. Simply experiment by playing and creating as many different tones as you like for shading, fill and overall effect. Coffee also provides an artist with the ability to age not only the paper, but the overall look of the piece as well. A sepia tone effect is easily created by either dipping the whole ‘canvas’ in coffee or covering its entire surface with long, wide brush strokes before or after painting of the imagery commences. Once dried, it will give that antiqued appearance that so many in the art world adore. This method of ‘dying’ the paper also provides a wonderful sheen to the piece as well.

Incentive for the Senses

So no matter which type of coffee lover you are – an admirer, artist or a combination of both, artwork created by painting with coffee is certainly an exciting genre to look into. And as an added bonus, not only are the pieces absolutely beautiful to create and view, but aromatic too!

Author credits

Andreanne Hamel is passionate about sharing information on her website regarding stovetop mocha pots and superautomatic espresso makers, through many coffee espresso machine reviews and articles.