Ukrainian Artist Paints Portraits with Used Coffee Grounds

When you think of coffee art, you might picture latte foam designs or maybe even latte art competitions. But what about using actual used coffee grounds to create fine art? One self-taught Ukrainian artist has taken that very idea and turned it into a unique craft — crafting intricate portraits and religious imagery using nothing but discarded coffee grounds and sand.

Alexander Wald, a plumber from Lviv who also works at a local circus, creates small-scale artworks using dried coffee grounds collected from his workplace. He’s not using whole beans or brewed coffee — just the leftover grounds, often from unknown commercial blends, dried and repurposed as pigment.

How Alexander Wald Makes Coffee Ground Art

Alexander begins each piece by sketching the outline of the subject — usually a portrait or religious figure — onto a primed canvas. He then applies layers of dried coffee grounds and fine sand to build tone and texture. Coffee adds dark shading, while sand provides lighter areas. The entire process is manual, meticulous, and time-consuming, often taking several weeks per artwork.

To keep the coffee and sand fixed in place, he pre-coats the canvas back with glue and finishes each piece with a protective layer of varnish. Most works are small in size, and every piece is built using non-espresso, non-instant coffee grounds — essentially any brewed coffee waste that’s been dried.

Why Coffee Grounds? The Unlikely Art Medium

Coffee ground art isn’t entirely new — we’ve seen coffee used to replicate famous paintings like the Mona Lisa or even mosaic-style works with a million beans. But Alexander is believed to be the first to systematically use ground coffee — the spent, filtered residue — as a primary medium for fine art. Unlike whole beans or liquid coffee, these dry grounds offer a fine, malleable dust that can be layered and shaded much like traditional pigments.

His choice of material is partly practical: he collects the used coffee from his own workplace and that of colleagues. Any brand or roast level works, as long as it’s been brewed and dried. That means no instant coffee, but everything else is fair game.

Who Buys Coffee Art Made from Spent Grounds?

Alexander’s clients typically request portraits or religious iconography. Despite his skill, he keeps his prices modest — around 100 Ukrainian Hryvnia (approximately £2 or $2.50 / ~75 RMB) per piece. He could charge more, but chooses not to. Many of his works are given away for free. The small income he does earn goes back into buying more art supplies.

So far, he’s sold around 500 pieces, some of which have been displayed in galleries abroad. While he hasn’t gone viral or become a commercial sensation, his work stands as a testament to resourcefulness and creative reuse in the art world.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of coffee grounds does Alexander Wald use for his art?

Alexander uses dried, used coffee grounds from any regular brewed coffee — excluding instant coffee. The exact brand or roast doesn’t matter, as long as the coffee has been filtered and dried. He collects these grounds from his workplace and colleagues, making use of what would otherwise be discarded.

How does he apply the coffee grounds to the canvas?

He first draws the outline on the canvas, then applies the coffee grounds and sand manually to add shading and texture. Coffee grounds create darker tones, while sand is used for lighter areas. The application is done layer by layer to build up the image with fine detail.

How long does it take to finish one coffee ground painting?

Each piece can take several weeks to complete due to the meticulous, manual process involved. The small size of the artworks helps manage the detail, but the drying and layering of materials also adds to the overall timeline.

Does he use any special coating or sealant on the finished artwork?

Yes, after completing the artwork, Alexander applies a layer of varnish or clear protective coating to seal in the coffee grounds and sand. He also pre-coats the back of the canvas with glue to help hold the particles in place during the creative process.

How much does one of his coffee ground artworks cost?

Most pieces are priced at around 100 Ukrainian Hryvnia (about £2 or $2.50 / ~75 RMB). He often gives them away for free and uses any income to buy more art supplies. Despite being able to charge more, he keeps his prices low.

Where can you see his coffee art?

Some of Alexander’s works have been exhibited in galleries abroad. While he hasn’t widely publicized his art online or through major platforms, around 500 pieces have been sold, with select works reaching international audiences.

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