Homegrown artists creating 2026 calendars


We help you knock off one more thing for your 2025 to-do list: shopping for that perfect calendar for the coming year. This time around, homegrown artists have taken their love for cities and its architecture, food, and everyday life to craft these calendars. Some that grow with you over the years and can be used beyond 2026. 

The noodle calendar illustrator Vijaya Aswani

The noodle calendar illustrator Vijaya Aswani
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

CALENDARS

Noodles of the world @Spree Firit

What better way to kickstart the year than with some culinary inspiration? Illustrator Vijaya Aswani has dedicated her 2026 calendar to the noodle and its various versions across the world. January is dedicated to Japan’s ramen, April to India’s falooda, October to the fideuà from Spain, and December to the Malaysian me goreng, for instance. “The calendar has 12 noodle-shaped dishes from around the world and their chefs. I love drawing noodles that look edible in 2D along with colourful, traditional outfits on my warm, smiling characters,” says the Bengaluru-based artist. “My favourite layout is the idiyappam and stew one for the month of May. The spread has a Malayalee character making massive idiyappams in his checkered blue mundu.”

₹690 on www.spreefirit.com

Art by Saara ST

Art by Saara ST
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Art forward @Saaras Art Desk

Art became Saara ST’s lifeline in 2019 when everything around “felt uncertain and out of control”. “I was at a point where most people would have given up, and many even questioned why I still chose to draw. But art was the only thing that made sense to me when nothing else did. It gave me peace when I had none, and slowly, it gave me back myself,” says the full-time artist based in Tirunelveli who dabbled in portraits, zentangle patterns, and mandalas before turning to digital art in 2019. “When I discovered digital art, I felt a new world had opened before me. I learned the tools one by one, often by trial and error, and over time, it became my language,” says Saara, whose 2026 calendar is titled The Artist’s Way. “It is an ode to the artists’ way of living, the everyday chaos, little messiness and the quiet magic that comes with creating. The calendar encourages everyone to choose any kind of art to engage with.” 

₹850 on saarasartdesk.com

Madras Inherited x Binsan Oommen Baby Madras calendar

Madras Inherited x Binsan Oommen Baby Madras calendar
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Cityscapes @Madras Inherited

This year, the city-based initiative that spotlights Chennai’s heritage has dedicated its annual calendar to the city’s Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. Now in its sixth edition, the Madras Inherited x Binsan Oommen Baby Madras calendar features vibrant photographs of Central Station, Madras University, among others. “This distinctive style, unique to Chennai, gained prominence after 1857, a period marked by significant shifts in Indian policies and principles. While some view it as the pinnacle of Indo-European architectural innovation, it can also be interpreted as a strategic political instrument used by colonisers to shape Madras’s visual narrative,” says Ashmitha Athreya, trustee. At the end of each month, each calendar page can be turned into a picture card/ postcard. “The QR code located at the back of every picture contains something unique,” she adds. 

₹549. Details on madrasinherited.in

Art n Dreams’ easel-mounted desktop calendar for 2026

Art n Dreams’ easel-mounted desktop calendar for 2026
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Abstract expressions @Art n Dreams

Inspired by his younger brother Pranav Aggarwal, a 13-year-old artist with Down Syndrome, Gurgaon-based Lakshya launched a platform to showcase the work of neurodiverse artists. Their easel-mounted desktop calendar for 2026 features original artworks from 13 emerging neurodiverse artists. “From Pranav’s whimsical interpretations of everyday joys to the abstract expressions of fellow contributors, the designs draw from themes of resilience, joy, and self-discovery, rendered in mediums like acrylics, watercolors, and photography,” says Lakshya, adding that they also retail candles, bags, coasters, laptop covers, and more. The calendar also features profiles of the artists, their creative journeys, and the hurdles they have overcome in their journey. 

₹400. @artndreams.co on Instagram

A snapshot of Archana & Co.’s calendar

A snapshot of Archana & Co.’s calendar
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Kitty paws @Archana & Co.

This one is for cat aficionados. Design consultant Archana Rajagopal made her first calendar in 2019 and it has been an annual affair since. “I draw on my life and musings for inspiration. When I got my first cat, I found my favourite muse. I now have four cats, and they’re the heart of my calendars,” says the Mumbai-based artist. The 2026 calendar is Archana’s third cat calendar, but it takes a slightly different approach from the previous ones. “While my earlier ones featured cheeky life lessons, this one is warmer: it’s an affirmation calendar, where each month offers gentle encouragement and hope for difficult days. All of this comes from how I imagine my cats would use affirmations,” she says.

₹870 on aandcostore.com

The perpetual Bee Vibe calendar by Nikila Perumal

The perpetual Bee Vibe calendar by Nikila Perumal
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Evergreen calendars @Picky Artz

While most calendars turn into art prints (at best) after the year is done, these two variants by artist Nikila Perumal are long-lasting variants. Titled Bee Vibe (₹1,499) and Evergreen Aura (₹1,799), the wooden calendars are crafted in wood and hand painted with non-toxic colours. “Each piece is created to be long-lasting, functional, and environmentally conscious, offering a timeless alternative to disposable annual calendars,” says the Coimbatore-based artist. “These are perpetual calendars and are meant to stay with you forever. Simply rotate the wooden blocks to set the correct month and date. Two numbered blocks allow you to display any date from 1–31, and a slim month block lets you switch the month easily. The mechanism is simple, durable, and designed for everyday use,” explains Nikila. The Evergreen Aura calendar symbolises “growth, grounding, and balance” and its design draws from trees. As for the quirky Bee Vibe, it centres around the honey bee and “nudges you to embrace your authentic self and live with joy”, says the artist who also crafts handcrafted wooden art, peg dolls, and décor.

@picky_artz on Instagram

A snapshot of Abhirami Vaithiyanathan’s calendar

A snapshot of Abhirami Vaithiyanathan’s calendar
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Chennai-inspired @Kagidha Poo

Inktober prompts turn into vibrant calendars at Abhirami Vaithiyanathan’s brand that she launched in 2024. “I began illustrating under the name Tadaabee in 2021, mostly personal art inspired by everyday life in Chennai. I sold stickers and prints at small pop-ups, and as the products evolved into planners, notebooks and calendars, I launched Kagidha Poo as a dedicated merchandise brand.” The 2026 calendar collection features Comfort of Home dedicated to the everyday joys of a home; Chennai Food Trail that showcases Chennai’s iconic local food joints; A Year in Ink that was born out of an Inktober challenge; and A Year in Goals that is a “reminder of every New Year’s resolution we make and hilariously fail to stick to”, says Abhirami. 

Upwards of 999 on kagidhapoo.in

The calendar at Kaapi Clan

The calendar at Kaapi Clan
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Miniatures and more @Kaapi Clan

This newly-launched art brand by visual artist Sujata Gupta features her art in watercolours, with a special focus on florals and miniature paintings. In 2023, she printed her first batch of miniature desk calendars, and that was the seed that led her to launch the brand earlier this year. The 2026 edition is Sujata’s fourth calendar series and has a Cozy Garden Corners-themed variant; a colourable calendar themed on Jaipur titles; and another colourable one called Small Wonders that features ecological sites. “My watercolour hand paintings are printed on the calendars. Their mini size makes it easy to carry along too,” says the artist based in Dharmasala who also designs journals, colouring books, colourable sheets, planners, desk-friendly collectibles, and illustrated bookmarks.

Upwards of ₹399. @kaapi.clan on Instagram

A spread from Mounica Tata’s calendar for 2026

A spread from Mounica Tata’s calendar for 2026
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

State of whimsy @Doodleodrama

Designer Mounica Tata’s calendar for 2026 is aimed at nudging people to find light and laughter, everyday. Titled State of Play, it is designed “to adopt silliness and whimsy in all current situations, and to be in a state of ‘play’ quite literally”. “All the characters in the calendar are goofy looney old folks, further driving the idea that no matter what age we are, we must never lose our whimsy and wonder,” says Mounica. Each month’s spread highlights one long forgotten English word “that’s silly, light, nonsensical, and perhaps a little mad”. The calendar comes with space to write, a page for yearly goals, and important dates and notes for each month. “There are also two sticker sheets in the calendar and the stand (cardboard back) is also fully printed.”

₹800 on doodleodrama.com



Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *