18 Incredible Creative Tributes to Frida Kahlo

To celebrate the anniversary of the iconic Mexican painter's birth, we highlight a collection of art projects made by the Domestika community

The incredible legacy of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo goes far beyond the work she created during her lifetime. Over the years, explorations of her persona and paintings have earned the artist a cult following, and today we can see her influence in art created all over the world.

An icon of Mexican culture, political activism, and feminism from Coyoacán in Mexico City, Kahlo is best known for her Surrealist and deeply personal self-portraits.

To celebrate the anniversary of her birth on July 6, 1907, we take a look at ten incredible projects created by the Domestika community that pay homage to the artist. Read on to discover creative tributes using different artistic techniques—including embroidery, felt and paper, digital illustration in Procreate, and fashion.

1. Paper flowers

Kahlo is famously quoted as saying “I paint flowers so they will not die.” That legacy can be felt in this project by graphic designer and paper illustrator Noelia Barreda (@noehlya).

The Barcelona-based artist uses paper craft techniques as a means of expression, re-interpreting images in her own style to create striking artwork. About her Kahlo-inspired floral crown design she comments, “Using only paper and my hands, I create unique scenes and add volume to a flat image.” It's an example of design and craftsmanship with inspirational results.

2. Lettering art portrait

Artist and illustrator Begoña Blázquez Parro (@bego_blazquez) created this intricate lettering art portrait of the Mexican painter, made up of motivational quotes and slogans, using calibrated markers on paper.

3. Hand-sewn felt doll

Agustina Sierra (@tinagus) is an architect from Montevideo in Uruguay, but her true passion is handcrafts. Practicing various hand-sewing techniques from a young age, over a decade ago she discovered felt, and—as she says—“fell in love with it”. Her tribute to Frida, a hand-sewn felt doll, really stands out for its use of color.

4. Geometric vector illustration

A PRO member of the Domestika community, Ángel Aguilar (@angel_6939) created this vector illustration portrait of Frida Kahlo as his final project for the course, Minimalist Geometric Portrait, taught by Barcelona illustrator and caricaturist Maria Picassó i Piquer. Using a geometric style, Ángel captures Kahlo’s essence and expressiveness.

5. Mexican-inspired crafts

Jackie Hughes (@dinxy) is the creator of this Frida Kahlo-inspired bag and hand-embroidered espadrilles, drawing upon traditional Mexican crafts. From Bath in the U.K., she demonstrates skills she learned in designer ANTONIA’s course, Design and Make Espadrille Sandals.

6. Digital illustration using Procreate

This digital illustration of Kahlo was created by U.S. creative Eminx (@eminx). Using the iPad digital illustration software, Procreate, she drew this part as her final project for the course, Digital Illustration with Procreate, taught by Óscar Llórens. Note the professional finish and incredible variety of textures.

7. Embroidered portrait

Domestika student M. Lucía Salazar G. (@puntoluciaz) crafted this embroidered portrait of Frida Kahlo using the techniques she learned in the online course, Creation of Embroidered Portraits, by teacher and visual artist Bugambilo. In the project page, Lucía shares her creative process, step by step, from how she traced the image on the fabric to the finished design.

8. Pictorial portrait

Mexican creative Jahabel Valencia Vega (@jhavel_19_) created this digital portrait of Frida Kahlo as his final project for Alex de Marcos’ course, Pictorial Portraits Using Digital Techniques.

Combining painting and digital techniques taught in the course, Jahabel’s artwork is an explosion of color. It’s also packed with details, including a reference to Mexican folk art with the addition of an alebrije (brightly-colored, fantastical creatures, with sculptures dotted around the streets of Mexico). Discover his process and favorite details on the project page.

9. Interior decor

Ramón Siverio shares this portrait design that he's printed on different pieces—from wall art to T-shirts—to sell in his art store on Curioos.

A plastic artist, comic book artist, and illustrator from Venezuela, Ramón used details of Kahlo's life to inform his project. Kahlo contracted polio as a child and suffered a serious bus accident in her teens that left her facing 32 surgical operations and bed-ridden for long periods of time.

Her work explored these themes, revolving around her life and the difficulties she faced. She created more than 200 pieces during her lifetime—many of which were self-portraits.

10. Paper craft portrait

Finally, another paper craft project by Noelia Barreda. This time, the artist includes more colors and extra details. Alongside the flowers, she uses paper craft techniques to add details to Kahlo's face, hair, and headband. To appreciate the level of detail, take a look at the construction of the eye: you can see the different layers of paper used to create the iris, eyelashes, and eyelids. Noelia also adds jewelry earrings as a final touch to show off Kahlo's style.

11. My project in Sketchnoting 101: Frida Kahlo

Amazing sketches by Illustrator, Elena Marijuan showcased in My Project in Sketchnoting 101: Frida Khalo. This is a wonderful work by Elena Marijuan. It was presented as a final project in the Sketchnoting course: drawing as a communication tool.

Without a doubt, with this piece Elena has been able to communicate who this great Mexican artist was and how she lived. Discover how the creation process was, from its sketch to the final piece, of this tribute to Frida Kahlo.

12. Embroidery project by Meliza Mora Ibarra

Frida Kahlo is recognizable by many elements: her eternal flowers, her parrot, her facial features, her hairstyle, the vividness of her colors and, obviously, her self-portraits. In this piece, with a simple line of embroidery, Meliza Mora Ibarra has been able to make part of Frida's face easily identifiable. In the piece of embroidery, the essential flowers in the artist's hairstyle stand out for their vividness. It is an embroidery work presented as the final project of the course Basic embroidery techniques: stitches, compositions and color ranges.

13. Frida Khalo tribute by Pako Martinez

In this illustration, by Digital Illustrator Pako Martinez the bright colors coexist perfectly with the illustration's gray scale. In the piece, not a single detail is missing from her portrait, which gives expression and life to the Mexican painter. The contrast of tones, using only colors such as pinks, oranges, yellows, greens and blues to the artist's flowers adds life to the art. Thank you, Pako, for sharing your work of this tribute to Frida Kahlo with the Domestika community.

14. Frida Khalo

In most cases, a portrait without eyes, nose, or ears would be virtually impossible to identify. This is not the case in this work by Florencia Be. With only five visual elements, he has been able to portray Frida Kahlo, with her identifying features and without losing the essence of the artist. Her flower headband, as alive as her red lips. His linear eyebrows, which framed his gaze. And her long earrings, which defined her strong personality. Thank you very much for sharing your tribute to Frida Kahlo with the Domestika community!

15. Frida Kahlo: Feet why do I want them if I have wings to fly

Frida Kahlo was a free spirit and her phrase confirms it: "What do I want feet for if I have wings to fly." In this tribute to the Mexican painter by José Pérez Gandía, we see Frida's desire to fly, represented by the birds flying over her head. We see eyes that look at us just like the firmness of their ideas. The red on her lips and also on her flowers stands out, where the author surely wanted to represent the passion that moved this great artist. The piece was created as a project for the Portrait Illustrated with Photoshop course.

16. Tribute to Frida Khalo by Elia Sánchez

This project was shared with the Domestika community by the illustrator Elia Sánchez. From the spiked frame reflecting pain, to the heart and arteries, protruding and covering the neck of Frida Khalo. Possibly representing the passion that characterized the painter. The work represents the world that surrounded her in a very delicate way, but, at the same time, full of strength.

17. Frida Khalo Doll by Elena Sánchez Santos

This Frida Kahlo doll is inspired by one of her most famous paintings and was created by Domestika teacher Elena Sánchez Santos. From her flower headband to her iconic hand-shaped earrings, this doll is part of a collection of three dolls that were auctioned for charity as part of a Women's Artists Projects

18. Pictorial portraits with digital techniques by Alex de Marcos García

The illustrator and Domestika teacher Alex de Marcos García created this tribute to Frida Kahlo as part of the course Pictorial Portraits with Digital Techniques . The color palette is clearly identified with the Mexican artist from the iconic colors, full of strength and passion in a Mexican setting where the artist was portrayed.

English version by @amyvsnelling.

Discover more inspirational projects and artists

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- From Maya Angelou to Frida Kahlo, discover the creative habits, practices, and good-luck superstitions of iconic artists.