Lisbon and comics
Shameless plug edition
I'm in Lisbon, Portugal, to open a small show of my drawings, paintings, and prints at a gallery, bookstore, cafe, and arts center called Tinta Nos Nervos. Tinta is located in the old part of Lisbon, just off the heavily touristy areas on one of the ancient, narrow main roads. I'm plugging my show with this newsletter, but I thought I'd also tell you more about my experience with Portugal's art and comics scene.
Pictured is Pedro Moura, one of the co-founders of Tina Nos Nervos and one of the big brains of comics in Portugal. He writes comics, writes about comics, and teaches comics. Also pictured is a highly prized souvenir of my last trip to Lisbon, a promotional glass from Pedras, the Portuguese sparkling water. No kidding, I obsessed over getting one of these babies. Glass aside, I’ve been coming to Lisbon for more than 14 years, and it’s here, because of big brains like Pedro, that I’ve learned a tremendous amount about comics, not just local comics but comics from all over the world. Portugal has got it low-key going on, comics-wise. Another big comics mind is Marcos Farrajota, one of the principals in Chile Com Carne, an alternative publishing cooperative based in Lisbon.
I arrived on Wednesday morning. I immediately went to the gallery and installed the show, met with journalists writing about it for the newspaper, and then went to my rental to crash. I’ve taken precisely one tourist photo, which is this image from my bedroom window. I came down with a stomach virus. I’ve been sick for two days now. So far, the extent of my tourism is short trips out to stock up on ginger ale and that photo out my window.
I only managed to snap a few shots of the work installed. It’s a small show, but I’m really pleased with it. The burning flag Risograph prints are my favorites right now, although there are four of my new watercolor paintings and 28 small (5” x 5”) drawings that I made for my daily Instagram posts back in July. I decided to price the drawings low (50 euros) so that almost anyone could afford one. They’re all listed on the gallery’s web site. As for the pricing, I’ve got a good job, and this may be my last exhibition as a free man. After January 20, who knows what will happen in the US?! The burning flags are maybe a clue.
The watercolor paintings are a different story. The prices of them are high. I don’t want to sell them, to be honest. I can be mercurial, and with this pricing, I am. I don’t depend on sales to pay the rent. I think the paintings are too good to let go. How’s that for honesty?!
The ink and gamboge drawings were an experiment in how to add the ability to color-key analog drawings. I made the two-color drawings (black and gamboge) and then scanned them into Photoshop. Using the color tools, specifically the “black and white” adjustments, I created separate layers of the ink and gamboge and then used other tools to turn the orange into half-tones. It’s an approach that I was able to perfect this summer with these drawings. I’ve since shared the process with my students. If you know of other artists who use a similar approach in making ink drawings, please email me. Otherwise, I think I invented this…
Summing up: Like I said, I don’t have good images of the show. This image above of some of the 5” x 5” ink and gamboge drawings is a case in point. I think I’m on the mend. If you’re in Lisbon, I hope you will see the show. And if you’ve never been to Lisbon, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. It’s a beautiful, old city with a complex history. And there is a love for comics here that is bubbling up. Pop into Tinta Nos Nervos and visit the proprietors, Vanessa, Anna and Luis. They will speak to you in perfect English and will be happy to connect you with comics and art. Mention my name and maybe they’ll give you a coffee!