Contos Cantados
Category: Children’s Books
Parlendário
Bocage
Bocage was a Portuguese Neoclassic poet that lived in the 19th century. He is one of the greatest Portuguese poets and I had the honor to embark on this project with Kalandraka. The book contains a selection of poems that encompass most of his life, touching themes like love, to war, addiction, religion, exile, politics and death. His unique style and subversiveness were a great inspiration for the illustrations I created for the book.
On Thoughts / Pensamientras
When I designed this book it was supposed to be wordless. It was my go at the concept of providing the reader with just enough cues and total freedom to create a story, thus participating in the creation with me. Nonetheless when I read the words the talented Eugénio Roda wrote for the pictures I decided that the book was more complete with that. It was published by Edições Eterogémeas and edited by the grand Luís Mendonça. Later I added motion to the prints and the voice over of Mac Premo and for that it was awarded a Gold Medal by The Society of Illustrators of New York.
And, without thoughts, my legs wouldn’t walk, my arms wouldn’t move.
Without Thinking, I couldn’t Be.
But why would I want anybody else’s other ideas if I didn’t know what to do with them?
With a bag full of special tricks, potions and lucky charms.
But, as soon as he saw me, hollow head, said I was a lost cause.
He couldn’t do anything to help me, and left.
… It was the only way, for someone who can’t think, to think…
Strong ideas, the kind that don’t run away!
Saw, listened, tasted, felt, touched, smelled…
Scents, sounds, shapes, texures, colors, flavours…
Tried to organize them in alphabetical order, numerical, by lasts and firsts…
Between discussions, tears, hugs, we exchanged ideas…
They introduce me to new images, and I use them, whenever I need…
They help me organize words, and I help them desire with them…
They take me everywhere they want, and tell me stories before I fall assplep…
We dream, together, as it is the best way to think!
El Oso y el Cuervo / The Bear and the Crow
This book was my first professional book with a major publisher house, OQO. I was delighted when they offered me the job as I loved their books, so I tried my best to be inventive and original. The story is based on a folk tale where a bear swaps his strong arms for the wings of a crow, and of course, it doesn't go well for either of them in a funny way. Thankfully the she-crow comes to the rescue with her wit.
Bestial / Manimals
This book was commissioned by my fellow illustrator André Leiria to be part of one of the first books of his new publishing house Pato Lógico. The premisse was to make a wordless book, but I think I stretched the concept too much and the book was eventually out of the collection. Thankfully I got an opportunity to expand the illustrations and make several exhibitions throughout Europe with its characters. Some of these images were awarded by the society of illustrators of New York.
Tuttodunpezzo
I was lucky enough to meet Paolo from Topipittori at the Bologna Children's Book Fair anreven more lucky when he invited me to illustrate a book. At the time I was visiting Milan and had some time to spend making sketches and engage in long conversations with Paolo and his team about how the book should go. The story is very funny about a character that is uptight and spotless and one day it falls into a hole and breaks into three pieces. This book became a animation short after that was awarded a gold medal at the Society of Illustrators of New York.
He never misses a street.
Paralelo
Paralelo is Teatro Municipal do Porto's illustrated cultural agenda for kids. In 2019 it was illustrated by me and designed in collaboration with Studio Eduardo Aires. It is printed has a small book with free distribution through the city. I Portuguese the word paralelo translates to parallel as these are special activities for schools and families curated off the performances lineup, but in porto it also means a granite brick used to make street pavement. I thought that this double meaning was interesting as a metaphor: the main character is initially a brick, tight and square, he goes through some improvements and he becomes a cloud at the end as a result of going through the cultural system. As if culture makes us lighter and enables us to see the world from an above and more interesting perspective.
Bicho de sete cabeças e outros seres fantásticos
I loved collaborating with Brazilian writer Eucanña Ferraz on this book, published by Campo das Letras. The inventiveness of his characters and the way he manages to put them down as poetry in the page is masterful. At the time I was working a lot with cardboard and papier mâché and I think it was a great fit for the project.
Arenque Fumado / Smoked Herring
This was one of my most interesting experiments in book making as this book is not really a book. It has folded pages, it can be read as a regular book, but it also works as an interactive object as it can be spread on the floor and be experienced in a number of different ways. When Miguel from Bruáá (a special publishing house in Portugal) asked me to make this book, I was thrilled, not only because of the nature of the project but the text, by Charles Crós is very, very, very funny and I could finally make a piece that crossed to the performative arts. This book is to be read out loud with a smile on your face and left out to dry like a real smoked herring.
