The Bear

This is an etching design I like to do a lot. It's pretty easy to pull off, it looks like it's got a ton of detail, and it's got maximum wow-factor. I have to admit, I dig it when I serve one of these at my current place and the customer goes "SHUT UP!!!"

It starts out as a half-finished tulip and then the etching:
1. With the etching tool, drag some brown up into the nose.
2. Pick up a lot of brown and dot the nose.
3. Pick up tiny bits of brown and make some bear freckles.
4. Pick up a lot of brown and make each eye.
5. Pick up some white to make the eyes and a little mouth.
6. Drag out the white to make the ears.

Don't forget to wipe the etching tool in between each step.

And this was for two customers who ordered cappuccinos - one decaf and one regular:


One day I served up a bear in a cortado, not knowing that the customer was a food critic for Creative Loafing magazine in Atlanta. She dug it so much she wrote a blog about it.