Hydrographic pen on napkin

Hydrographic pen, gouache and Indian ink on napkin

Hydrographic pen and gouache on napkin

Ballpoint pen, hydrographic pen, gouache, watercolor and Indian ink on napkin

Ballpoint pen, hydrographic pen, gouache and Indian ink on napkin

Graphite and gouache on napkin

(Untitled)

Charcoal on paper, scanned and inverted.

// TOROVOA //

Charcoal drawing on paper, featuring a passage from a letter written with a ballpoint pen, with the phrase "And then I decided to write to you" in Portuguese. The color inversion creates the effect of white chalk on a school chalkboard, which I find pretty cool.

// TOROVOA //

Graphite pencil and ballpoint pen on paper. Four different drawings mixed and edited in Photoshop.

Self-Portrait.
// TOROVOA //

"What I liked was that using this kind of toy, I draw more freely, without fear of making mistakes or aiming for perfection."

TOROVOA // 2024

"No, Uncle Thom, this is like a drawing board for kids, look. Here you draw, and this button erases! Cool, right?"

TOROVOA // 2024

"There, playfulness is found in the rivers, on walks, in gatherings, on the lawns, in the bars, in the birdsong, in jam sessions, in the arts... well, above all, in the warmth that each person there has to offer."

TOROVOA // 2024

A consequence of experimentation with colors and shapes on Zora's Canvas.

TOROVOA // 2024

I begin by drawing freely, usually a face, it seems to be a habit. Without knowing where I want to go, I keep sketching as a way to warm up my hand. At a certain point, I feel like using a thicker brush, taking the opportunity to try a color not just to cover the background, but also the parts I don't like. Random lines and shapes are welcome, along with the next colors that begin to sing. When a new one enters, it either calls for another or pushes one out, and then begins a game of trying to listen to the new elements of the image. It takes courage to continue, to go over what I had spent time on, add more details, maybe try to go back to how it was before or take an even further step. Courage is also needed to know when to stop, to leave it as it is, to accept uncertainty, or at least to try to make peace with your choices, to finally give it an end.

Made on Zora’s Canvas.

TOROVOA // 2024

Quick thoughts on Zora's Canvas. The limitations of size, tools and format (square) force you to create something different from what you usually do. There is no “Ctrl+Z”, at least I didn't see it, which provokes you to continue in another way. There are no layers, but you can move masses of painting/drawing/image/text, which can hinder you or bring you new possibilities. I also didn't find a way to save the project, which means "either mint it or lose it", urging you to find a way to finish it. I always like to try a new medium, and this is one! Final conclusion: I loved it mainly because of its limitations.

The work "Noite de Festa” (Party Night) came through experimentation with the new Zora’s tool without a final plan or idea. Through the colors and shapes I came up with a result that I liked and took me back to a night of partying in the forest.

Utilizing watercolor, gouache, conté pencil, ballpoint pen, and a floral detail sourced from a scanned vintage magazine page, "Something Better" narrates a modest yet profound tale. The painting portrays a boy with a touch of melancholy in his expression, set against a vibrant backdrop of colors and textures. When seen in its entirety, the artwork elicits a positive emotion, possibly even one of hope. The interplay of materials and layers within the piece aligns seamlessly with its complexity, aiming to inspire viewers to confront life's mysteries and challenges while nurturing faith in a better world.


TOROVOA //
2023

In "PORTA-RETRATO", I seek to explore the complexity of human relationships within our social modern structure. Through a fusion of traditional drawing and painting techniques on paper, combined with a scanned old magazine pages and digital post-production, I achieved an result that seems to me to navigate between the mundane, the classic and the contemporary.

It serves as a reflection on the complexities and beauty of human interaction, reminding us about the role of nurturing positive relationships in our lives.

Mixed-media, 2023
TOROVOA

In this piece, I’ve combined charcoal drawing on paper and digital elements, intertwining with pieces of a digitized magazine cover. The main character has an emotionless face, hidden under charcoal stains that merge with the whole, creating a contrast with the colorful and cheerful magazine that has "Special Optimism" as its main theme. This work silently contests its message, aiming to question viewers' thoughts about its true intention.

Mixed-media, 2023