Amy Zhang takes inspiration from 2022 Korean Latte Art Champion Rora with a Turtle Ship latte art design, for those ready to take on a challenge.
Latte art is always growing and changing. When I first attempted to try and pour this Turtle Ship design, which was created by the 2022 World Latte Battle Champion Barista Mir, I found it a really difficult pattern to perfect. It’s a very creative and interesting pattern that tests your skills. But being challenged is where my passion for latte art originated, and it’s what inspires me to find new patterns and perfect new skills.
This design features seven rosettas, three of them relatively long and four of them relatively short. They require a lot of fine control to pour correctly.
It’s important to focus on certain line elements, like the dragon’s neck and to drag the milk foam to draw the dragon horns, face, and mouth. I would say that dragging is the key technique for this design.
I’ve also combined the design with simple etching skills to finish it off, as I feel the extra decoration adds more details to this exciting pattern.
Turtle Ship is currently my favourite pouring pattern, and now it’s your time to challenge yourself. I hope skilled baristas will gain some new skills pouring this iconic latte art and have fun with it, and for those new to latte art, there’s nothing like a challenge and feeling of determination to kick-start a new year.
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This article appears in the February 2023 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
Amy Zhang’s Turtle Ship
Step 1
With the handle at 3 o’clock, pour a seven-leaf rosetta, starting in the centre and working upwards.
Step 2
Keeping the handle in the same position, pour a four-leaf rosetta and drag backwards. Then draw an eight-leaf rosetta, dragging backwards again.
Step 3
Starting from the end of the first rosetta, drag a line to the front. Turning the cup handle at 5:30 o’clock, pour a four-leaf rosetta for the tail and an eight-leaf rosetta for the dragon scales behind the neck.
Step 4
Turn the cup handle to 4 o’clock and pour two short three-leaf rosettas, one for the ears and mouth. Then draw a circle with four lines inside, starting from the bottom of the fifth rosetta working upwards.
Step 5
Slowly drag the foam downwards to draw the first dragon horn and eye.
Step 6
On the right side of the first horn, draw the other dragon horn to connect the first horn.
Step 7
Between the first and third rosetta, drop four small amounts of foam for the ship’s windows. Make sure to evenly space the droplets. Then drop a small amount of foam for the moon. You can keep the droplet as a moon or etch it into a cloud.
Step 8
Use an etching pan to create the eyes and horns. Add foam for dots around the windows.
