Tag: 2026 Calendar

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The Final Stretch… and I’m So Freakin Excited

I’m sitting here in the studio surrounded by little painted characters, scraps of paper with half written quotes, and a scanner that has definitely gotten a workout today, and I am thrilled to say this:

I am officially in the final stage of creating the 2026 “Love Is” calendar, and we are right on track for the big release party this Friday.

All the original art is finished.
All the paintings are scanned in.
And I’m at that magical point where everything finally feels real.

A colorful arrangement of various small paintings featuring whimsical characters engaged in joyful activities, with vibrant backgrounds and playful themes.

It’s been so much fun sharing this process with you as it’s unfolded, from sketches to paint splatters to those “okay this might actually work” moments. And honestly, I can’t wait to hang out with you at the release party. It’s going to be such a good time.

What’s Happening at the Release Party

There’s a lot going on during the stream, so here’s the quick rundown:

  • I’ll be showing you the full finished calendar every painting, every quote, and all the ridiculous funny holidays I snuck in.
  • The originals from the calendar will go live on the website that day. This is one of my favorite parts because every calendar piece starts as a painting with all the little textures and imperfections that make it… well… mine.
  • Prints and other goodies will also be available.
  • We’ll announce the giveaway winner live on the stream.
    If you haven’t entered yet, make sure you do, someone is walking away with a beautiful artist enhanced textured print mounted on wood of “Love Is All You Need”. And honestly, it’s one of my favorites.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ERICA!

It’s going to be fun, chaotic in the best way, and full of art, laughs, and probably me trying not to spill coffee on my myself. Again.

An artist sketches a whimsical winter scene featuring snowmen and playful characters on paper, surrounded by art supplies and notes in a studio.

Why “Love Is” Means So Much to Me

This series is close to my heart in a way that’s hard to fully explain, but I’ll try.

Love Is started years ago as these tiny, simple sketches I would make just to express how I felt about the world, about connection, about Klee, about the funny little moments that make life good. They weren’t meant to be anything big, just honest, joyful snapshots of the human experience.

It was around a time when I needed to remind myself that, despite everything life throws your way, there is always something beautiful or silly or meaningful happening right in front of you. I didn’t want to make a series that was sappy or overly sentimental. I wanted to create something that was real.

So the characters became a reflection of that, simple, imperfect, sometimes goofy, but always rooted in the truth that love isn’t grand gestures. It’s the small stuff. The quiet stuff. The shared laughs. The creative chaos. The bizarre inside jokes. The tiny sparks of joy you don’t always see unless you’re paying attention.

And every time I revisit this series, it reminds me of that. It keeps me grounded. It reconnects me to why I create in the first place.

So yeah, working on this calendar every year is more than just designing a product. It’s like spending time with a part of myself I don’t always slow down long enough to see.

A joyful character in a purple snowsuit with a matching hat and gloves stands beside a cheerful snowman, both celebrating amid falling snowflakes.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A whimsical painting featuring two cheerful characters amidst colorful autumn leaves, with one character holding a heart while the other joyfully raises their arms.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A whimsical painted character wearing a blue outfit joyfully rolling on a bed of red autumn leaves against a warm yellow background.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A colorful painting featuring two whimsical characters: a girl with long hair wearing a purple dress and a boy performing a handstand, both showcasing joyful expressions against a vibrant turquoise background.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A whimsical painting of a joyful character with a round head and a heart on its chest, holding a red balloon while floating alongside a white bird, set against a turquoise background.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A joyful character in a purple dress with a heart, celebrating with sparklers against a bright turquoise background.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A cheerful painted character in a purple dress holds two turquoise butterflies, surrounded by additional butterflies and a green caterpillar on a grassy patch, against a textured yellow background.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
Two whimsical characters in winter clothing play in the snow, one joyfully dancing and the other smiling. The background features a snowy scene.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A whimsical painting of two characters in a snowy landscape. One character, wearing a teal puffy jacket and hat, holds a string attached to a large red heart. The other character, wearing a purple hat and gloves, peeks out from behind a snow fort. Snowflakes gently fall around them.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A whimsical illustration featuring a character with long dark hair and a purple dress kneeling beside a growing flower with a heart-shaped bloom, while a small blue bird observes from the left.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A playful illustration of a stick figure wearing a yellow raincoat, joyfully dancing in puddles under a red umbrella, set against a green splattered background.
2026 Calendar By Rafi
A cheerful character holding a lantern, surrounded by glowing orbs of light.
2026 Calendar By Rafi

I Can’t Wait to Share It With You

This calendar is full of love, creativity, joy, and a little bit of the absurd, in other words, it’s very me.

Thank you to everyone who has pre ordered, cheered me on, watched the process, sent messages, or just been part of this creative madness with us. I can’t wait for you to see the finished result.

Pre-Order Your Calendar Now For $16.00

See you Friday for the release party, it’s going to be a blast.

Love you, creative humans.

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2026 Calendar – How A Calendar Gets Made (The Good, Bad, And Ugly)

Hi awesome human!

It’s that time of year again. That special season when my studio transforms from “artist tornado zone” to “artist tornado zone with calendars in mind.” The 2026 calendar is officially under construction, and it is looking ridiculously adorable in here.

Listen, making a calendar every year is a magical process, but it’s also the kind of process that reminds you that magic is often 20 percent inspiration and 80 percent me mumbling things like “Where did I put that brush?” and “Why does this paint water look and smell like swamp juice?”

A whimsical painting featuring a smiling character with a round head and a blue body, holding a red balloon while a bird flies beside them, set against a teal background.
Painting 1. Look at this thing, I just want to squeeze it!

Still, here we are, and I’ve already got four paintings finished and the cover design done. I’m actually ahead of schedule this year, which almost never happens. Usually, this phase involves me hunched over my table in December muttering, “Why do I do this to myself every year?” But not this time. This time, your bandana wearing weirdo is thriving.

And yes, in case you’re wondering, calendars are still only $16 this year for the pre-order (on sale from $24.99), because I want everyone to be able to bring some joy home, even if that joy comes in the form of weird little “Love Is” characters doing something wholesome and ridiculous every month.

PRE-ORDER THE LIMITED EDITION 2026 CALENDAR FOR $16.00

The Fun Parts of Creating a Calendar

Let’s start with the good stuff, because there really is a lot of it.

1. Watching the characters come to life.
Every painting starts as a scribble. Sometimes those scribbles look like potatoes with legs, but then, somehow, they evolve into heartfelt moments that somehow manage to be adorable and existential at the same time. It’s like Pokémon evolution, but with questionable anatomy.

An artist sketches character illustrations for a calendar at a cluttered workspace filled with creative materials and notes.
Scribble scribble scribble

2. Designing moments that will live in your space all year.
I love imagining these things hanging on your walls… in the studio, the pantry, the bathroom (yes, people tell me they hang them there), or that random hallway that looked sad and needed cheering up.

3. The weird holidays.
National Doodle Day? Absolutely in there. World Kindness Day? Of course. National Absurdity Day? Wouldn’t be a Rafi calendar without it. I sprinkle these weird holidays in because normal calendars are cowards. That’s right, I said it.

Illustration for May 2026 showing a character holding a lantern with a heart on its chest against a backdrop of glowing lights, accompanied by a calendar layout and a quote about love.
Painting 2. Working on the format!

4. Letting you in on the process.
This year, I’m building the calendar while your pre-orders roll in, so I get to share all the behind-the-scenes chaos and charm as it happens. And I love that.

The Not-So-Fun Parts (AKA “The Rafi Struggle Bus Section”)

Ah yes, the real talk.

1. Formatting.
Have you ever spent hours making something beautiful… only to realize the computer has decided margins are a myth? Graphic design is 50 percent creativity and 50 percent bargaining with your software like, “Please… please don’t move that.” My graphic design program crashed twice just designing the cover. Every time that happens I think, “damnit I should’ve saved it.” Then I completely forget to save it for the next crash.

A person holding a whimsical painting of a character with a round blue body and a smiling face, surrounded by falling red and orange leaves against a bright yellow background.
Painting 3. This gives me cuteness aggression.

2. The paint water situation.
I swear, by day four it smells like I’m cultivating a new species. Although, to be fair, this happens all year long in the studio. I really have to wrap my mind around cleaning my brushes and water cups more often.

3. Deadline math.
There is always a moment, usually around November 20th, when I stare at the schedule and ask, “Who made this timeline?”
Answer: me.
Comment out loud: “Thanks a lot past me!”.

4. Shipping logistics.
You’d think after all these years I’d have accepted that boxes, labels, and packing are part of this journey. But no. Every year I rediscover my “love” for packing 100 calendars.

A colorful painting depicting a girl in a purple dress joyfully dancing while a boy performs a handstand, set against a bright turquoise background.
Painting 4. SOOOOO CUUUUTE!

But Still… I Love It.

Despite the chaos, the head cramps, the formatting rage, and the fact that I often forget to eat while creating, I wouldn’t trade this project for anything. I GET to do this!

Every calendar I create is a little time capsule of joy, humor, hope, and human-ness. We’re all navigating a weird world together, and if I can give you twelve images and twelve quotes that help you smile, breathe, or feel less alone, even for a moment, that’s everything.

The 2026 Love Is calendar is shaping up to be one of my favorites. I’m painting each page with the intention of giving you a tiny spark every time you look at it. Something that makes life feel a little lighter, softer, happier.

PRE-ORDER THE LIMITED EDITION 2026 CALENDAR FOR $16.00

And yes! The calendar release party is happening November 28th on YouTube, and I should have the finished printed version in hand. You better believe I’m doing a full flip-through on camera.

If you already pre-ordered, THANK YOU. Seriously, you make this entire thing possible.
If you haven’t, and you want one of the $16 calendars (signed, with a surprise), now is a great time.

Thank you for being here through the fun, the chaos, and the swamp-water paint cups (Which I have not confused with coffee yet). I can’t wait to show you the finished calendar!

—Rafi

CONGRATULATIONS TO ERICA!

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2026 Love Is Calendar and Getting Inspired by Awesome Kids

Today, Klee and I spent most of the day teaching some awesome kids, and honestly it was the best kind of chaos. We helped them make their own sketchbooks, homemade, slightly wonky, but completely perfect, and then dove into sketching and watercolor painting.

Those kids are inspiring. There’s something about the way they just go for it, no hesitation, no overthinking. They don’t worry if the proportions are off or if the colors make sense. They just make. Watching that reminded me what art is supposed to feel like, free, joyful, and completely in the moment.

Two artists preparing art supplies in a classroom, one person sorting watercolor palettes while the other looks at the setup, surrounded by various materials.
Sorting watercolor paint before the chaos begins in class.

Teaching, for us, is something we’re learning as we go. We teach four classes, and each one is its own unique adventure.

The first class is grades K–2, and it’s basically a whirlwind of energy. At one point they were drawing tornadoes, which felt very appropriate because by the time that class ends, Klee and I aren’t even sure where we are or who we are anymore. Then we move on to grades 3–4, who also have a ton of energy, but they focus in hard on their creative projects once they get going. The grades 5–6 group keeps us laughing nonstop. Their sense of humor and creativity are unstoppable. And then there’s grades 7–8, who really push themselves to learn new techniques and try new things.

We love these kids. They are all pure creativity. Inspiring doesn’t even begin to cover it. In fact, they inspired the January design for the Love Is calendar.

An artist wearing a bandana is sitting at a cluttered table, focused on drawing a whimsical illustration on paper. Various art supplies and colorful paintings are visible in the background, creating a creative atmosphere.
working on the design for January.

You have spoken, and the 2026 calendar theme is officially LOVE IS. Thank you all for voting!

I’m deep in the creative trenches right now, surrounded by sketches, coffee cups, ink puddles, and at least three ink brushes I’ve already lost under a pile of paper. My goal is simple, to give you something that brings joy, comfort, and maybe a few chuckles throughout the year. Right now I’m in the design phase which means I am sketching and designing what the paintings will look like and feel.

Like my past calendars, this one isn’t just about pretty pictures (although they will be pretty, promise). Each month will include:

  • Original, uplifting art from my Love Is series
  • An inspirational quote to keep you going
  • A mix of official, creative, and wonderfully weird holidays including National Absurdity Day, World Kindness Day, National Doodle Day, International Day of Happiness, Talk Like a Pirate Day, and a few Rafi-made holidays that probably shouldn’t exist but definitely do
PRE-ORDER YOUR 2026 CALENDAR (PRE-ORDER SALE PRICE $16)

About the Love Is Series

A person holding up a colorful painting that says 'Love is all you need,' featuring two whimsical figures. The background is vibrant and abstract, with several framed artworks displayed on the wall behind.

The Love Is series is my way of celebrating connection, kindness, and those small moments that make this weird world a little brighter. Each piece features two or three whimsical characters doing something beautifully human like Love Is Sharing an Umbrella, Love Is Spreading Joy, or Love Is Being There.

It’s not about romantic love. It’s about the kind of love that makes life better, the kind that helps you laugh when things get messy or gives you hope when the world feels upside down.

An artist sketching ideas for the _Love Is_ calendar in a colorful studio, surrounded by drawings and art supplies.
I love this series!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ERICA!

This year’s calendar will feature all-new art, bright, colorful, full of heart, and just the right amount of mischief.

Here’s the current plan (and yes, I actually wrote this down so I don’t forget):

Nov 1–5: Prepping canvases and clearing workspace (which mostly means pretending to organize)
Nov 6–13: Design and sketching stage
Nov 13–24: Painting the full collection
Nov 25–26: Graphic design and formatting for print
Nov 28: Official Calendar Release Party on YouTube!
Dec 2, 2025: All pre-order calendars ship out!

Each Special Edition pre-order calendar will be signed and include a little surprise from the studio because who doesn’t love a surprise? (Unless it’s liver and onions. I promise there will be no liver.)

PRE-ORDER YOUR 2026 CALENDAR (PRE-ORDER SALE PRICE $16)

Pre-Order Yours Now

If you’ve been following along with these yearly calendars, you know they’re a labor of love and occasional madness. The Love Is 2026 Calendar is shaping up to be something really special, heartfelt, funny, and maybe even a little weird, just how I like it.

Pre-order yours today, join us for the Calendar Release Party on November 28th on YouTube, and be part of the adventure as this thing comes to life.

Ships by December 2, 2025, right in time for gifting (or keeping for yourself, no judgment).

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Help Me Pick My 2026 Calendar Theme Before My Brain Explodes

Hi guys! I need your help with a little something something. The calendar release party is quickly approaching and I am creatively stuck. I’m working on my 2026 Limited Edition Calendar designs, and here’s the problem, I have too many ideas.

Like, way too many.

This is not new. The first time I released calendars, I was so excited that I made five different series. I told myself, “Variety! Options! People will love it!” And people did… right up until I was knee-deep in calendar pages, covered in packing tape, trying to figure out which version went to who. It took me a week to organize shipping, and by the end of it, I was questioning all my life choices.

So, this year, I’m cutting down the guesswork and I’m asking you to help me decide which calendar I should create for 2026.

Here are the three options currently fighting for dominance inside my head:

1. Dear Artist Illustrated Calendar

A humorous illustration featuring a sign in an artist's studio stating "Rest isn’t laziness, it’s maintenance. Taking a break..." Below the sign, text reads, "Even creativity needs to reboot every now and then." The background is a solid blue color.

This one would feature illustrations from my book Dear Artist, Don’t Give Up! These would be paired with motivational quotes for creative humans. Each month would have a quirky, heartfelt, sometimes slightly unhinged message to keep you inspired and laughing through the chaos of your creative journey.

Basically, imagine Stickman whispering (or yelling), “You’ve got this!” while doing something ridiculous. It’s like a pep talk from your inner weirdo, and I mean that in the best way possible.

2. The Return of the Love Is Series (with new paintings)

A collage of illustrations featuring whimsical characters and colorful abstract backgrounds, displaying various messages about love and connection, intended for a 2024 limited edition signed calendar.

Back by popular demand, and by “popular,” I mean me shouting in the studio about how much I loved this series.

This collection features my cute little characters spreading joy, connection, and the occasional awkwardness of being human. Each painting celebrates love… not the mushy Valentine’s kind, but the “love is laughing until you snort” kind.

I released a Love Is calendar back in 2024, and I’d love to create all-new paintings for 2026. The plan is to finish the art this month and have it ready before the official Calendar Release Party on November 28th!

3. The Art Compilation Calendar (Like my 2020 Calendar)

A collage of artwork featured in the 'Wonder and Imagination' 2020 Calendar, showcasing various artistic pieces including illustrations of figures, nature, and abstract designs.

This one would feature some of my most recent works, a mix of bold, expressive, and sometimes introspective paintings. It would be a beautiful way to showcase what I’ve been creating lately…

The only hiccup? Let’s just say some of my paintings show a little more skin than your average office décor allows. So, while this calendar would look amazing in your studio or home, it might raise a few eyebrows if hung up at your dentist’s office.

So, there you have it, three ideas, one artist trying not to spiral into creative overload.

I’ve put together a poll so you can help me choose which calendar becomes the official 2026 Limited Edition release.

Because if I leave it up to myself, I’ll end up creating all three again… and I really don’t want to relive the Great Calendar Shipping Debacle of 2017.

Vote in the poll and help me choose! (POLL IS CLOSED AND VOTES ARE IN!)
Which one should I make for 2026?

A poll showing results for the 2026 Limited Edition Calendar options, with percentages next to three choices: Dear Artist Illustrated Calendar, Love Is Calendar, and Recent Works Compilation.