Printing With Coffee
Ranked #2,815 in Arts & Design, #37,881 overall
Coffee for Developing Photos
Learn how coffee is now produced in Costa Rica. Pour yourself a cup of Coffee. Check out the Cafegrafia or Coffee Art that Saul Bolanos produces. Imagine Saul Bolano's Coffee Art on your walls with a copy of Higher Grounds on the coffee table and enjoy a bit of Costa Rica.
Photo Credit: Cappuccino al Bar
Landi, Federico
Buy This Allposters.com
Cafegrafia or Coffee Art
What is Cafegrafia or Coffee Art?
Saul Bolaños is an artist from Costa Rica who has invented a new way of printing photographs. He calls it Cafegrafia or Coffee Art. In the late 1980's he discovered a way of using coffee as the pigment. The results give a rich brown patina to the photos evoking romantic images of times gone by.Saul Bolanos often chooses antique photographs depicting Coffee growing and processing as it was practiced about a century ago in his native Costa Rica. The coffee gives the photos a sepia tone evocative of the photo processing of that era.
Photo Credit: Saul Bolanos paints with Coffee
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Coffee Table of Contents
Photo Credit: Coffee Pigment
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
- Cafegrafia
- How did I discover this beautiful Coffee Art Photography?
- More Coffee Art by Saul Bolanos
- Gathering Coffee in Costa Rica
- Saul Bolanos' New Book
- Organic Coffee Growing Helps the Birds
- Drinking Coffee Around the World
- Coffee on Every Wall
- Costa Rican Coffee
- How does coffee play a part in your life?
- Tell me about the Coffee Art that you own or would like to own.
- Meet the Author
Cafegrafia
Saul Bolaños invented the Coffee Art Process
Cafegrafia© was invented by Saul Bolaños in Costa Rica. This new Coffee Art Form was the result of research carried out over a long period of time in a small photochemical lab. Saul Bolaños produced more than 100 different subjects and sold about 30,000 pieces until he began the production of Coffee Filter Art. Hundreds of Coffee Print Photos were sold to tourists as souvenirsPhoto Credit: Costa Rican Oxcart Wheel
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
These rare Coffee Images are no longer being produced but some works may be still available. I have been trying to get a hold of Mr. Bolanos to see about the possibility of selling his work through this site. Please leave a comment below if you are interested.
How did I discover this beautiful Coffee Art Photography?
I Hang my Coffee on the Wall
I have lived in and visited Costa Rica many times. It is a place where you can still occasionally find true artists inventing and producing incredible works of art. Saul Bolaños is one of those artists.While strolling through the Plaza de la Cultura around 1990 I met Saul at his booth. His technique is so fascinating that I bought a couple of his prints and had them framed. Over the years when people come to visit they always notice and comment on them.
Cafegrafia has more information about Saul and his work.
Photo Credit: Costa Rican Oxen
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Cafegrafia® is permanent
Saul's Coffee Art won't fade, even in direct sunlight.
Saul Bolanos develops these images without a darkroom! Having previously treated the surface for imaging, Saul simply strokes the surface with coffee, and the subject appears. The beautiful golden tone images are produced on other mediums such as paper, wood, glass and ceramic.Cafegrafia® is permanent. After two years of direct exposure to sunlight, the images show no evidence of fading. I have had his photos on my walls for nearly 20 years and they still show no sign of fading.
Photo Credit: The World
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Grab a Cup of Coffee and Read On...
Cafe 1820 is a staple of Costa Rican households.La Minita plantation is famous for its fanatic reputation for quality. This classically complete coffee is known for its rich body, excellent acidity as well as it's nutty and sweet undertones.
Deep and intense, Cafe Britt Organic fills the senses with earthy pleasure.
Photo Credit: Traditional Costa Rican Coffee Maker by Saul Bolanos
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Doka Coffee makes a wonderfully balanced cup with a relatively high acidity and a medium body. You'll notice a hint of sweet tanginess.
Now you can choose from six green coffee bean varieties from U-Roast-Em.
Coffee Image Filter Paper:
With Coffee Art you can have your art and drink it too!
Coffee Images can also be produced on coffee filter paper. They have the Aroma, Color and Taste of Pure Coffee and are 90% Costa Rican Coffee with 10% humidity. There are no other ingredients. Each Coffee Filter Image is a work of art that comes mounted and suitable for framing.
Or, just put it in your coffee maker and drink your coffee art.
Photo Credit: Picking Coffee in Costa Rica
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Saul sells his Coffee Art to Coffee Producers for labeling their best Coffee
Custom coffee Art on the front of packages of Coffee, is an effective way to to make your product stand out and make the others look "ordinary".
Photo Credit: Costa Rican Coffee Maker
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Indestructible Art
Coffee Art could be the answer to preserving your family photos in case of a hurricane or house fire.
By printing his photographs on ceramic with his unique coffee pigments Saul Bolanos has made his works both water and fireproof. Since they are indestructible by the weather there is no better way to create Fine Photo Realistic Portraits that will last thousands of years.
Photo Credit: Indistructable Art
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Coffee
If you can't find Saul's Coffee Art, at least you can drink the coffee he drinks.
These pictures show coffee the way it was being picked and collected when I first visited Costa Rica in the late 1970's. Coffee pickers carry baskets up and down the hillsides picking all the ripe coffee beans. The beans are then taken be oxcart to the collection spot where they are measured into boxes called cahuelas and then transported to the benefio where the coffee beans are washed, dried and roasted.When visiting Costa Rica it is still possible to see coffee being picked by hand but there are very few ox carts left. The Costa Rican Children's museum in San Jose has a wonderful hands-on exhibit for children to learn about the coffee process and is well worth a visit.
Photo Credit: Picking Coffee by Saul Bolanos
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Coffee Art Question
Would you rather mount your Coffee Art Filter on the wall or Smell the Aroma and then use it for a decadent Coffee Art Party?
More Coffee Art by Saul Bolanos
Photo Credit: Costa Rican Coffee Art
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Not only is the process interesting but also the subjects which often show coffee processing from the beginning of the last century. What are the objects seen in these photographs used for? Saul Bolanos choose pictures depicting coffee production and processing. Who are the people in these photography? What can you tell about coffee production from looking at these Coffee Prints?
Photo Credit: Coffee Photography
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Coffee Picking
Photo Credit: Picking Coffee
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Ask most adult Costa Ricans and they will remember picking coffee as children. It was a way to make a little more money. With amount of coffee produced in Costa Rica a huge labor force was needed to bring in the coffee harvest.
Gathering Coffee in Costa Rica
This is an image taken in the 1870's of native Indians gathering coffee beans. The little child sits with a basket while his mother gathers coffee beans.
Saul Bolanos' New Book
Photo Credit: Saul Bolanos
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Saul Bolanos says that he has "written this book to be useful Today and even more tomorrow when all experts on this art will have all gone away.
It is a Valuable tool for Artists,
Scientists and Students.
It is not about Theory,
It is all about Practice with his own explicit
Working Directions & illustrations...."
- Alternative Photography | How To Make Your Own photographic Film or Plates for Negative Work
- Make the Photo Emulsion Yourself. Coat it on glass plates to make your negative film and expose in Camera. Step by Step With Figures. Alternative Photography
- Photographic Alchemy
- Learn more about the process and how to purchase the book: Photographic Alchemy by Saul Bolanos.
Learn How Coffee is Processed in Costa Rica
Organic Coffee Growing Helps the Birds
Drinking Coffee Around the World
People drink coffee differently all around the world. Which is your favorite way to drink Coffee?
Italian Espresso
Espresso or caffe Dspresso is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing very hot, but not boiling water under high pressure through coffee that has been ground to a consistency between extremely fine and powder. Espresso was developed in Milan, Italy in the early 20th century, but up until the mid-1940s it was a beverage produced solely with steam pressure. The invention of the spring piston lever machine changed espresso into the beverage we know today.8 points
Italian Latte Macchiatto
Hot frothed milk with a shot of espresso. It is served in a big glass and not in a cup! The espresso is poured into the milk and froth, creating a layered effect.5 points
Irish Coffee
Irish coffee (Irish: Caife Gaelach) is a cocktail consisting of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and sugar, stirred, then with thick cream floated on top. The coffee is drunk through the cream. The original recipe explicitly uses cream that has not been whipped, although whipped cream is often used. Irish coffee may be considered a variation on the hot toddy.3 points
Spanish Cafe Con Leche
Cafe Con leche is a coffee-based beverage, which translated from Spanish, literally means "coffee with milk". Similar to the French cafe Du lait and the Italian caffe latte, cafe Don leche is a Spanish coffee beverage consisting of strong or bold coffee (sometimes espresso) mixed with scalded milk in anywhere from a 1:1 to 2:1 ratio. It is also served with sugar mixed according to taste. The beverage is extremely common in Spain and in many Latin American countries and communities around the wor...3 points
Turkish Coffee
What is Turkish Coffee? Turkish coffee is a very flavorful, and often strong, coffee. It is prepared in an ibrik, a small pot that holds either one or two servings. Traditionally, the pot was placed in the hot sands of the Mediterranean for cooking, personally, I use my gas stove.3 points
Greek Coffee
Greek coffee is a strong brew, served with foam on top and the grounds in the bottom of the cup. Although it can be made in a different pot, the traditional small pot (shown in photo) is best because it allows the proper amount of foam, which adds to the unique taste.3 points
German Milchkaffee
Literally milk coffee. A very milky latte, served in a large round bowl.3 points
Cuban Coffee (Cafe Cubano)
What tequila is to liquor, cafe cubano is to the world of coffee. It is not sipped or savored %u2026 it is shot! Cafe cubano is at-least double the strength of American coffee. It is a daily morning ritual for Cubans and Cuban-Americans. At any time of day or night at the countless little Cuban restaurants that dot Miami, people line up for "jolts" of cafe cubano served in thimble-sized paper cups. Cuban coffee is served at the end of a meal in tacitas (tiny cups) that are smaller than demitasse...2 points
Madras Filter Coffee
Also known as South Indian Coffee or Kappi. It's milky and made with dark roasted coffee beans and chicory.1 point
Books about Coffee and Coffee Art
Saul Bolanos and his Coffee Art Photography process is mentioned in the book Higher Grounds.
Drink a cup of coffee, hang some coffee on your wall and pick up a great book about coffee to read. What could be a better way to spend the morning?
Coffee on Every Wall
Can there be enough coffee in your house?
I just tried painting with coffee. It makes an interesting medium.
How do you feel about Coffee Art?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byI want to drink it with my coffee.
liberia88 says:
I like his work. I need to look him up next time I am in San Jose. Thanks for sharing this about him.
Posted September 29, 2011
Joie says:
This artwork is beautiful! I want to look at it hanging on my wall while I drink my coffee in my cup.
Posted September 15, 2011
saraih26 says:
No Never! I'm addicted. I even made a lens about it LOL. Now i'm finding lots of wonderful lenses on coffee I hadn't looked at before! This lens is very very interesting...I'm going to tell my brother in law about his technique.
Posted February 11, 2011
CR2000 says:
I love coffee , Cappucino is my favorite :)
Thanks for posting this lovely lens :)
Posted November 14, 2010
stargazer00 says:
People are just so inventive. Creativity always finds an outlet!
Posted May 16, 2008
darr11 says:
This is the first time I've heard of this art form. Thanks so much for introducing me to it!!!
Posted May 16, 2008
LisaKnowsTheSecret says:
I can't paint but I adore coffee and probably drink far more than is good for me. These pictures are fantastic.
Posted May 14, 2008
says:
I would love to see coffee-made designs on notebook/journal covers, especially those that use recycled or brownpaper covers. :) I know that if a journal like that existed, I'd definitely buy it!
Posted May 07, 2008
Rico2008 says:
Wow! I've never see this type of art before. Fantastic! I need to learn more about it.
Thanks for sharing!
Posted May 02, 2008
Claudia, aka Poptoplady says:
I am from Brazil; coffee runs in my veins (and arteries). Can I do both???????
Posted April 29, 2008
VeggieMom says:
The colours are lovely. Congratulations on making a beautiful and interesting lens.
Posted April 20, 2008
ZoeSPEAK says:
This is brilliant! Beautiful art, no chemicals, and great coffee, too!
Posted April 15, 2008
I need to fly to Costa Rica today.
Phillyfreeze69 says:
Coffee Art as a medium is very interesting...the tonal range and hues are similar to the Sepia tone printing process...I like the natural coloration derived from the coffee bean.
Posted February 08, 2011
ngio64 says:
It is beautiful. I like the smell of coffee, but hate the taste. The art is beautiful
Posted November 10, 2010
livingfrontiers says:
Lovely lens, and great ideas! I have used coffee to dye fabrics, and it is a beautiful color.
Posted October 31, 2010
lisaherbik says:
I love this lens! The coffee art is fantastic! Very cool... :)
Posted July 07, 2010
robbell says:
First time I've heard of this process. Very interesting and a great lens
Posted December 17, 2008
Aquavel says:
Wow! This is an amazing lens. I've made spice paintings with curries, cayenne,& coffee etc but I never knew PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS could be made with coffee!!! Great Lens! Great Art!
Posted October 12, 2008
Lorie says:
I have coffee art all over my kitchen counter, but it's not as nice as yours!
Posted September 11, 2008
annetteghallowell says:
I want to learn this incredible process WHILE I drink coffee in Costa Rica!
Posted August 14, 2008
misspatricia says:
Looks great! Wonderful Lens! I have to try painting with coffee sometime :-)
Posted June 15, 2008
SherryHolderHunt says:
Love It, I love coffee! Love to drink it and I especially like to see how creative the artists have been using it as a medium. The pictures and paintings from coffee are beautiful. Thanks for this lens, I learned a lot!
Posted June 07, 2008
Luvi says:
Fantastic lens, it's definitely something I have to try. It's unique and worth indulging some of my time in.
Posted May 08, 2008
Bags to Tote your Coffee Art and a Journal to Keep your Coffee Art Thoughts
It is difficult to find Saul Bolanos' Coffee Art outside of Costa Rica. The following items are, however, reminiscent of his work.
Costa Rican Coffee
Drink the Best! Drink Costa Rican Coffee!
Coffee Berry Pickers in Brazil 1911 by lc_vintagephotos
More Occupations Posters
When I first visited Costa Rica in 1979 coffee pickers still used oxcarts to transport the coffee beans to the collection center.
You may not be able to buy Saul Bolanos' art but you can drink the coffee he drinks. Buy some Costa Rican coffee today.
Coffee
Photo Credit: Costa Rican Coffee Maker
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Pour yourself a cup of coffee or espresso and indulge in the richness of your environment. In the picture above you see the way Costa Ricans typically made coffee until about 20 years ago.
The stand is made of wood and the bag is made of white cotton felt with a wire around the top to hold it open.
To use it you put coffee in the bag, put a cup under the bag and pour hot water into the bag.
Cafegrafia in the News!
News about Saul Bolanos!
Photo Credit: Articles about Saul Bolanos
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
I just got an email from Saul telling me about his newest venture. He is building a museum in the beautiful Orosi Valley in Costa Rica. He says that it will house 100's of his works that he has produced over the past 30 years.
- Costa Rica's Coffee Artist
- Photographer Saul Bolanos uses coffee as pigment for his photographs (from Tea & Coffee Trade Journal)
- Squidoo Lens of the Day: Printing with Coffee
- Printing with Coffee
Java junkies and art aficionados, this one's for you.
Evelyn Saenz's "Printing With Coffee" lens is a fascinating look at Saul Bolaños' Coffee Art -- the unique process of developing photographs using coffee instead of other chemicals. This results in nostalgic, warm, orga - It's All About Coffee Blog
- Cafegrafia: Coffee for Developing Photos Friday, April 11, 2008
- Coffee Art
- World's Finest Award Winning coffee art, Cafegrafia by artist: Saul Bolaos Inventor of Coffee Art -International Medal Winner is selling his coffee photograph development process...
Costa Rican Coffee In the News
- Costa Rican Invention Will Allow Astronauts To Make Coffee In Outer Space
- Thanks to the ingenuity of a group of students astronauts can soon be brewing coffee in outer space.
The Space Infuser developed by the students will be presented Friday, August 22, 2008 at a scientific conference in Costa Rica.
The device can also be used to develop new medicines. - Students solve space coffee problem - Telegraph
- Two Costa Rican engineering students have invented a coffee-maker which can be
used by astronauts in space.
How does coffee play a part in your life?
Coffee dreams by austindreamer
Post cards created online using zazzle
My Favorite Coffee Lenses
Espresso in Spain by artbyjocelyn
Shop for artwork available on Zazzle
There are lots of lenses out there about coffee but these are the best.
Tell me about the Coffee Art that you own or would like to own.
Congratulations!!!
Photo Credit: Transporting Coffee
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Thank you for helping make this lens in the Top 100 Squidoo Lenses and Lens of the Day.
-
Reply
-
greenwavepress
Jan 30, 2012 @ 2:55 am | delete
- it is very fantastic lense. digital printing
-
-
Reply
-
burntchestnut
Jan 1, 2012 @ 8:29 am | delete
- I don't drink coffee, but I sure like coffee art.
-
-
Reply
-
stockysister
Nov 17, 2011 @ 8:35 am | delete
- This is so cool! I never thought about that sort of thing with photography. Fascinating.
-
-
Reply
-
Joie Sep 15, 2011 @ 3:19 pm | delete
- I love this lens! Of course I love all things coffee, and would love to feature this art in the Coffee House. Thank you for the delicious education!
-
-
Reply
-
RenaissanceWoman2010
Sep 13, 2011 @ 4:12 pm | delete
- I found this amazing. Thank you so much for introducing me to such an intriguing art form. Wow...
-
-
Reply
-
artyfax
Mar 26, 2011 @ 3:10 pm | delete
- What an interesting art form. I have used coffee for staining paper for collage work but never heard of it being used in this way.
-
-
Reply
-
sukkran
Feb 23, 2011 @ 7:39 am | delete
- first time i am heard bout this coffee art. thanks for introducing this fantastic art form. ~blessed by a squid angel~
-
-
Reply
-
IlanaMoore
Feb 14, 2011 @ 3:23 am | delete
- I'm not a coffee drinker (though there are many mornings I wish I was!) but coffee art is beautiful and really something appetizing :) Another wonderfully informative lens. Thanks!
-
-
Reply
-
saraih26 Feb 11, 2011 @ 6:51 am | delete
- I mainly have it on coffee mugs.
-
-
Reply
-
Retro_Loco
Feb 10, 2011 @ 10:33 pm | delete
- The art you featured here is beautiful. I love learning about new art mediums and techniques! This is an inspiring & unique lens -- love it. ~Vicki~
-
-
Reply
-
ChrisDay
Feb 9, 2011 @ 6:24 am | delete
- This is amazing - how have I missed this lens for so long? Well-deserved Purple Star and LOTD!
-
-
Reply
-
reasonablerobinson
Feb 9, 2011 @ 6:23 am | delete
- This is a simply brilliant lens. Informative and full of great images. I've learned something today, thank you!
-
-
Reply
-
Phillyfreeze69
Feb 8, 2011 @ 10:15 pm | delete
- Saul Bolonos invention of using coffee as a pigment is reminiscent of the work of Dr. George Washington Carver, eminent professor of biolology at Tuskegee University and the 200 products made from the peanut, including paint pigments.
Cafegrafia is a wonderful natural process that Saul Bolonos has invented to develop the latent image that can be burned on to different surfaces. When Dr. Carver was asked how he was able to invent so many products from the peanut, he said "I just loved them"...I am sure Saul Bolonos feels the same way about his coffee beans.
-
-
Reply
-
haikuwedding
Nov 28, 2010 @ 3:11 pm | delete
- Fascinating coffee art. Thanks so much for sharing.
-
-
Reply
-
karanta
Oct 1, 2010 @ 8:21 am | delete
- Very interesting and really informative lens. I enjoyed reading it and I'll try painting with coffee too :)
I lensrolled this lens on my "Beautiful Coffee Mugs" lens.
-
- Load More
Meet the Author
Photo Credit: Costa Rican Coffee Picker
by Saul Bolonos Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Find out what else I'm up to when I'm not hanging my coffee on the wall:
Coffee
Coffee Art
Come write about coffee and coffee art on Wizzley, a fun and easy place to express your opinion:
by Evelyn_Saenz
Hello world. I am an educational consultant, retired teacher and a homeschooling mom. I love to help others find materials for teaching. Check out my lenses... more »
- 246 featured lenses
- Winner of 26 trophies!
- Top lens » Frog Unit Study: Hopping to Learn
- This lens »
Won purple star
- This lens » Selected as Lens of the Day
Explore related pages
- The Teapot Dragon Unit Study The Teapot Dragon Unit Study
- Sand Dollars and Math on the Beach Sand Dollars and Math on the Beach
- Mascarada Puppets of Costa Rica Mascarada Puppets of Costa Rica
- 'Twas the Night Before Navidad or Christmas? 'Twas the Night Before Navidad or Christmas?
- Where To Get Free Stock Photos To Use On Your Website And Other Projects Where To Get Free Stock Photos To Use On Your Website And Other Projects
- 1-2-3 to 360,000 Photo Effects - Pixlr-o-Matic 1-2-3 to 360,000 Photo Effects - Pixlr-o-Matic
Find out what else I'm up to:
