An index card-a-day

 It was a stray message on Pinterest. It asked to practice drawing, painting, doodling etc. on an index card every day, for a month or two.

I had a pack of blank index cards with me. It had lain unused for years. I had bought it in USA and I had a research project going. My own project, no external funding but I had hopes of getting a fellowship on its basis after my retirement. These cards, like those in library catalogues, come handy for bibliography research. One card for one author or book or article. Notes can be made on the cards to juggle memory and the cards can be arranged in different combinations.

Stationery shops in India do not carry these card sets but in USA, they are easily available and are popular right up to school students.

Alas! My research proposal for the fellowship did not make the cut. I drew a blank when I tried to get my writing published. Academic publishing, never easy, has now become almost impossible. I was disappointed but had to accept it.

So the card-stack remained with me.

I remembered it when I saw the Pinterest message. Why not have a stab at it?

I began with enthusiasm which turned to a drag which became an eagerly awaited work in the end.

There were no restrictions on images to be created on cards. Decorative designs, line work, landscapes, floral studies, portraits and simple play with lines and colors. Drawing pencils, water color pencils, water colors, acrylic and oil paints, marker pens - anything was permitted.

I began with atrocious designs and colors. Later I found myself thinking about this challenge during the day and I started scanning newspaper ads, photos and Google search images with interest.

The freedom and the small size of the card were real boons.

Yesterday, my card stack got over. I missed only on a few occasions. Otherwise, I drew and painted through July, August, September and eleven days of October after having started on 27 June 2024.

Outcome?

Nothing much but a sense of satisfaction.

Take a look at the blog to see some images I created.