Art and Creative Techniques
Now, this might seem counterintuitive…
Aspiring artists seeking to elevate their creative practice will find a wealth of inspiration in the harmonious colour palettes and dynamic compositions of contemporary Spanish artist Laura Vargas Llanas, better known by her artistic moniker “Kanica”. We learned this the hard way… With a background steeped in art history and a penchant for reinventing traditional techniques, Kanica’s work embraces the interplay of colour, form, and texture to produce visually captivating companion pieces.
Modern Painting Techniques
Kanica’s artistic journey began with a fascination for the Bauhaus School’s belief that “every craft object has the potential to be art”. Drawn to the transformative work of fibre artists like Anni Albers and Sheila Hicks, Kanica developed a unique visual language centered on hand-embroidered canvases that combine traditional weaving techniques with a modern design aesthetic.
“When I work on the embroidered pieces I need to think in terms of shapes and the relationship between them to create a composition, either a rhythmic or a more structured one,” Kanica explains. “I always think in terms of shapes and positive and negative space.”
In addition to her textile-inspired canvases, Kanica has also explored ceramic vessels as an artistic medium. Inspired by the traditional Spanish amphoras she had at home, Kanica began experimenting with the vessel as a “canvas” – painting vibrant, rhythmic patterns using a palette of earthy Mediterranean hues.
“I feel that as creatives, we need to continue stepping outside of our comfort zones, pushing the definition of craftsmanship, design and art, merging disciplines and exploring different mediums to find what suits us best,” says Kanica. This spirit of experimentation and an eagerness to work across artistic disciplines is a hallmark of Kanica’s practice.
Pencil Drawing Tutorials
While Kanica’s primary focus has been on painting, weaving, and ceramics, her artistic process often begins with pencil sketching. “I create compositions and colour combinations in my sketchbook until I find the correct balance,” she shares. This foundational step allows Kanica to thoughtfully plan the interplay of shapes, textures, and hues that will ultimately define her finished works.
Aspiring artists can learn from Kanica’s approach to pencil drawing, which emphasizes the importance of sketching as a way to explore compositional ideas and experiment with colour palettes. By honing their sketching fundamentals, such as shading techniques and observational drawing skills, artists can develop a stronger visual vocabulary to inform their painting, mixed media, or other creative pursuits.
Creative Inspiration
Kanica’s artistic sensibilities are heavily influenced by her art historical training and a deep appreciation for the masters of modernist architecture, colour theory, and geometric abstraction. She cites Le Corbusier as a constant source of inspiration, particularly his lesser-known paintings that echo the principles he championed in his architectural designs.
“Architect and artist Le Corbusier remains a constant source of inspiration in my work,” Kanica shares. “In these new series, I wanted to further explore how colour, form and balance interact with each other, and I wanted to echo the principles he championed so fondly in his architectural designs.”
By studying the work of iconic artists and designers, Kanica cultivates a rich well of creative inspiration that she then translates into her own distinctive visual language. Aspiring artists can follow Kanica’s lead by immersing themselves in the work of their artistic heroes, analyzing the techniques and theoretical underpinnings that define their aesthetic, and then finding ways to reinterpret those influences through their own unique creative lens.
Harmonizing Colour Palettes
At the heart of Kanica’s practice is a deep fascination with the interplay of colour, form, and texture. Whether working in textiles, ceramics, or paint, she approaches each medium as an opportunity to explore the harmonious relationships between hues and their ability to evoke emotional responses in the viewer.
Chromatic Compositions
Kanica’s series “Colour in Construction” and “Chromatic Constructs” exemplify her chromatic choreography, blending bold, vibrant colours with geometric abstraction to create visually striking compositions. “The different shapes evoke a sense of structure and balance and reflect on how buildings, as much as abstract art, can shape our understanding of space, form and symmetry,” she explains.
In these works, Kanica deftly combines complementary colours, such as deep greens and vibrant yellows, or muted blues and warm oranges, to create a dynamic visual tension. She also explores the use of analogous colour schemes, allowing hues that are adjacent on the colour wheel to subtly complement one another and imbue the compositions with a sense of harmonious flow.
Vibrant Colour Combinations
Kanica’s series “Colour Dialogues and Geometric Blooms” further demonstrates her mastery of colour harmony. “Each piece in this new series is a study in contrasts and complements, where vibrant hues meet both geometric composition and organic forms,” she says.
By carefully considering how colours influence one another – for instance, how a deep green can cause an adjacent yellow to “vibrate”, or how a light pink can soften the impact of a deep blue – Kanica creates visually captivating artworks that engage the viewer on an emotional level. The interplay of geometric shapes and organic floral elements adds an additional layer of visual interest, as the hard edges of the geometric forms contrast with the curves and irregularities of the natural forms.
Companion Artwork Design
Kanica’s commitment to colour harmony extends beyond individual works, as she often creates series of companion pieces that share a unified visual identity. This approach is exemplified in her “Le Bal Géométrique” collection, which was inspired by the Bauhaus Triadic Ballet.
“Each work depicts geometric compositions constructing a visual dance,” Kanica explains. “As with all of the work of the Bauhaus, there was a desire in the ballet to free and dismantle the old forms of the art form, stripped to the basic and bare components, and I have tried to translate these concepts into this new collection.”
By developing a cohesive colour palette and geometric language across multiple pieces, Kanica ensures that her companion artworks resonate as a harmonious whole. This visual unity helps to amplify the emotional impact of the work and creates a captivating, immersive experience for the viewer.
Artistic Design Principles
Kanica’s mastery of colour, form, and texture is underpinned by a deep understanding of fundamental design principles that she applies across her diverse artistic practice. From balance and symmetry to rhythm and movement, Kanica’s work demonstrates a keen eye for creating visually compelling compositions that draw the viewer in and invite deeper exploration.
Balance and Symmetry
Whether working in textiles, ceramics, or painting, Kanica is acutely aware of the importance of balance in her compositions. “I always think in terms of shapes and positive and negative space,” she explains, “to create a composition, either a rhythmic or a more structured one.”
Kanica’s series “Constructed Minimalism” exemplifies her mastery of formal balance, as she skillfully combines different geometric shapes and contrasting colours to create a harmonious whole. The resulting artworks possess a sense of stability and poise, inviting the viewer to engage with the carefully orchestrated interplay of forms.
Kanica also explores radial symmetry in her “Constellations” series, which was inspired by the kinetic, suspended sculptures of Alexander Calder. By embroidering curved and sculptural shapes in a warm colour palette, Kanica suggests a subtle visual dynamism that evokes the sense of movement and fluidity associated with Calder’s iconic mobiles.
Rhythm and Movement
Kanica’s fascination with rhythm and movement is a recurring theme in her work, as evidenced by her “Embroidered Dynamism” series. In these vibrant compositions, she strategically breaks down the structure of her designs or juxtaposes dynamic elements to create a compelling sense of implied motion.
“By breaking down the composition or by juxtaposing a dynamic composition that has merged from a composed one, I wanted to suggest motion,” Kanica explains. The resulting artworks possess a kinetic energy that invites the viewer to engage with the work on a visceral level, as the eye is drawn through the composition by the artist’s masterful use of rhythmic elements.
Visual Hierarchy
Underpinning Kanica’s chromatic choreography is a keen understanding of visual hierarchy, which she employs to guide the viewer’s eye and establish focal points within her compositions. In her “Homage to Le Corbusier’s Architectural Polychromy” series, for example, Kanica strategically combines and contrasts colours from Le Corbusier’s own “Colour Keyboards” to create a sense of emphasis and depth.
“Each piece is embroidered using yarn colours from both of his colour groups, so as to trigger a reaction on the viewer, emphasising on different objects and embodying a spatial effect, just as Le Corbusier did with his use of colour in architecture,” Kanica shares.
By carefully controlling the scale, proportion, and placement of her design elements, Kanica ensures that the viewer’s attention is directed to the most important aspects of the composition, creating a harmonious and visually compelling whole.
Through her mastery of colour, form, and texture, Kanica has developed a distinctive visual language that seamlessly blends the principles of modernist design with a deeply personal and emotive artistic sensibility. By continuing to push the boundaries of her creative practice and exploring new mediums and techniques, Kanica invites us to engage with the chromatic choreography of her companion artworks and discover the transformative power of harmonious colour palettes.
Tip: Practice daily sketching to continually refine your technique