BENGALURU: The New Year brings with it a fresh start and with it a hope for new beginnings. For some, it’s a time to start anew as they chart their future goals and what better way to organise than with a uniquely illustrated calendar or planner? Many look forward to starting their New Year journey with illustrator Alicia Souza’s Ultimate Planner collection every year. “The essence of the planner’s layout remains the same as there are a large number of people who have been using it for years and have a certain way of organising based on the layout.
The desk calendar features hand-painted illustrations. But the highlight of the calendar is the erasable section that can be wiped clean for quick notes,” says Souza. Living in the city for over a decade now, most of her inspiration comes from her daily life and everyday happenings.
When it comes to representing the city’s culture and day-to-day charm, Shriya Murthy, also known as @thegrittyglasses on Instagram has created a calendar showcasing her love for the city. “I like bringing out the Kannada culture. It all started with the feeling that there was a lack of merchandise that represented our city. You get a lot of things for Delhi and Mumbai but if it’s Bengaluru, the representation is too mainstream, like it’s just the autos or Vidhana Soudha. But there’s more to the city than that,” says Murthy, who is a software engineer by profession.
Murthy’s calendar focuses on the city’s landmarks, but she says it’s not just about the buildings, adding, “Just buildings do not invoke any emotion. So, I also incorporate any conversations that could most probably happen.” Some of the highlights of the calendar are illustrations of the city’s favourite Corner House Ice Creams, Toit and events like the Metro connecting to Whitefield. “I wanted to show how long-distance relationships can happen now,” laughs Murthy.
The city’s illustrators have also created something for all the pet lovers out there. Illustrator Anjali Raj, the creator of thecolourmaniac, found solace in art during challenging times. “This year, I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone with a 12-month calendar and planner. It’s called the Cute Catto calendar (`879) which is inspired by my kitten, Momo, who I had to part ways with because I had to come back to Bengaluru after the pandemic which was heartbreaking for me,” shares Raj.
Vijaya Aswani, the face behind @spreefirit, has created her 2023 calendar Soul Twins which wanted to show the deep bond between people and their pets. “My dog Zac is literally like my soulmate. So, I wanted to represent the 12 months with different people and their pets. So if it’s a Peacock, a Bharatnatyam dancer is doing a peacock mudra,” says Aswani.
For those looking for a quirky twist to their calendars, Bhaghya Babu (@awkwerrrrrd) has illustrated a comic calendar Into the Awkwerrrd Universe, exploring what happens when superheroes from various universes land in Kerala. “Every month, there is a superhero like Minal Murali who is Kerala’s first superhero, Iron Man from the MCU, and many more,” says Babu.