Sapna* remembers picking up a pencil to draw since childhood. But it was only two years ago when she decided to make a Facebook page about it. Illustrations by No One is a page run by city-based Sapna who illustrates the little stories of every day and sends them out as postcards to strangers. And that, she believes, is the beauty of it all. “People these days rarely receive postcards, letters or any kind of snail mail what with social apps connecting everyone at the tip of the fingertips,” she rues over a phone call. But that, she adds, makes it even more special. “There is something very intimate about sending out and receiving something written by hand. Illustrations by No One is just a small attempt to revive the magic of snail mail,” she says, hopeful.
The 24-year-old lawyer agreed to speak to us on the condition of anonymity. However, this isn’t just another pretentious way to create a mysterious air around her. The illustrator doesn’t believe in personalities. “I reject the idea of personalities. I find it difficult to attribute a specific character trait to anyone, including myself. Personality is always a work in progress,” she explains, further adding that personality traits are often borrowed from some other source. “For me, my creation is the only constant thing about me — nothing else,” she confirms.
Sapna vividly remembers where her affinity for postcards stems from. “My sister married very young, and back in the day, her husband used to work for the United Nations. As a result of this, they were always travelling from one destination to the other. And, wherever she went, she never failed to send a postcard back home. Today, my father has an entire collection of hundreds of postcards from even the most obscure locations on the planet — something he preserves dearly,” she recalls.
Drawing inspiration from real life, Sapna tries to incorporate the every day life of a 20-something in her illustrations. “I pick up after anything and everything — life experiences, books, travelling in the locals, busses, colleagues — anything that will connect with you and me.”
She, however, often thinks about stripping the anonymity and coming out, but she is patiently waiting for her art to gain some momentum. Today, her page has 1,350 followers, but she is optimistic and knows the community will expand.
Sapna has always played with the idea of illustrating and drawing full-time, but that doesn’t seem to be her priority right now. “I want to prove myself to my parents. And once I’ve done that, I will probably quit my day job and pursue this passion,” she promises, adding that “the art connects with people; not the creator.”
*Name changed on request
