What This Man Can Do Will Give You A Whole New Perspective On Finger Painting

Finger painting is something that most of us leave behind as soon as we fine-tune our motor skills. After all, painting ponies and rainbows is way easier with brushes, and as we get older, making messes becomes less and less entertaining by the day.

But for one digital artist, finger painting is the name of the game. Using nothing but an iPad and his own two hands, he creates hyperrealistic paintings that rival anything created with a brush.

The level of detail that Spanish artist Jaime Sanjuan achieves is incredible by anyone’s standards, but hearing about his technique makes his work even more impressive.

After earning a degree in fine arts, Sanjuan became deeply interested in the role of new technology in the creative process. The only problem was that most of his training was fairly traditional.

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The sad reality was that his schooling ultimately drained his bank account and robbed him of his ability to create. “When I finished my studies,” he writes, “the crisis began.”

In a cruel twist of fate, dedicating his life to an arts education forced him to leave his creativity behind for years. “I had no job, and I didn’t have enough money to rent a studio or buy painting materials. Because of that, I stopped painting for 4 years.”

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And the more you look at his work, the more tragic that seems. After he was given an iPad, however, his entire perspective on art changed.

“With the help of this tool, I don’t need a studio,” he writes, “and I don’t need to buy materials to create my paintings.” One seemingly small gift gave Sanjuan his creative life back.

(via BoredPanda)

While one could easily argue that technology sits at the helm of many social and cultural shortcomings, there’s something to be said for what one device did for an artist who was down on his luck. As such, Jaime Sanjuan wants to impart a bit of wisdom unto fellow artists who are stuck in a rut: “If you have a tablet or a smartphone, you have an entire studio in your pocket.”

To see more of Sanjuan’s work, be sure to visit his website. For regular updates, check him out on Facebook.

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/digital-finger-painting/

What This Barista Creates Will Make You Want To Hold Off On Drinking That Coffee

Latte art is nothing new to the barista scene, and if you love frequenting boutique coffee shops in your city, you’ve probably watched as your favorite coffee connoisseur elevated your latte with a flick of the wrist.

While swans and hearts are impressive when you consider the medium, Melannie Aquino‘s take on the trend isn’t your average approach to latte art. After watching a friend draw intricate designs on cups of hot chocolate one day, Aquino decided to give it a go. Her first attempts were a little shaky, but after four years of hard work replete with countless trials and subsequent errors, she developed a style that’s as adorable as it is impressive.

In five minutes or less, the San Francisco-based creator turns simple lattes into works of art that are too pretty to drink without a twinge of guilt.

“I begin by pouring milk into a shot of espresso,” she explained to BoredPanda. “I use a spoon to manipulate the foam into the shape of what I want to draw.”

In her words, “You need a marriage of the perfect espresso and microfoam in order to get the right contrast and bring out the little details.”

She does intricate line work with chocolate and uses contrasting colors and textures in her favor.

The resulting pieces are beautiful, whimsical, and totally delicious.

“The reactions on customers’ faces are the most rewarding parts of my job,” she writes. “A lot of people become regulars and it pushes me to do different designs and to do better.”

As you can imagine, her unique approach to the craft has successfully set her apart from the rest, and it’s garnered quite a bit of attention online.

She sketches and paints from time to time, but as she explained to Mashable, “I don’t really have aspirations in pursuing art outside the realm of latte art.” That being said, she does have a coffee table book in the works that will bring her creations in front of an even larger audience.

For a little glimpse into her process, check out the videos below!

Still can’t get enough? Be sure to follow Melannie Aquino on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates!

Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/latte-art/