After nearly three months of pauses and restarts, I finally completed Cogumelos no Quintal. This project marked significant growth in my digital work, and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and how the drawing evolved over time.
Using paper sketches as a foundation, I took the necessary time to solidify some ideas while translating them digitally. After almost a year with my Wacom, I believe I’ve adapted well to it.
Using paper sketches as a foundation, I took the necessary time to solidify some ideas while translating them digitally. After almost a year with my Wacom, I believe I’ve adapted well to it.
I ended up changing the colors of most elements several times to achieve a desert-like atmosphere. Colors have always been a challenge for me, and I tend to stick to simple palettes. However, this process helped me reflect on the intention behind each object in the scene and how the choice of colors can evoke specific emotions. Most of the time, referencing a Moebius palette works like a charm.
Beyond the technical exercise, I wanted to introduce new characters and bring back some elements I had previously abandoned: telling a story within a single scene, scattering random pop culture characters throughout, and using speech bubbles.
Taking my time with Cogumelos no Quintal allowed me to fully enjoy the digital process. Initially, I intended for the art to have no dialogue and explore other memories, but it took on a life of its own.
Having recently turned 30, I aimed to convey the current state of things, and I believe this work reflects a maturity in both form and sentiment. It represents a return to what remains essential in my drawing style and where I want to go next.
The floating consciousness narrative in this piece was undoubtedly influenced by episodes of the Elefantes na Neblina podcast, which eventually led me to the mushroom theme.
While finishing the piece, I consumed a lot of content on the subject, like Michael Pollan’s documentaries on psychedelics and Fantastic Fungi, which focuses on species and origins.
At first, I tried to follow a logic of hallucinogenic species in the drawing, but I abandoned that halfway through and ended up sketching every mushroom I came across during my research.
One of my favorite elements to draw is the explosive barrel from Donkey Kong, which makes a return here. It served as a metaphor for so many things since I began drawing, but in this case, it perfectly fit the hallucinogenic effects on the characters and accessing forgotten areas of the brain. A completely unpredictable effect.
The scene takes place at the bar and restaurant I’ve frequented most this year, Kintal do Barril, located in Arujá, which is one of the best places to eat and drink in town!
I included a few Glooms because I used to think this Pokémon was a type of mushroom, but it’s actually based on a flower (Rafflesia). Still, I love its dazed, trippy vibe, and the color palette matched the rest of the scene.
Initially, the Cheshire Cat was meant to reference the cat from Cassandra Cat, where removing his glasses reveals the true personality of the town’s inhabitants. I realized this would further complicate the colors, so I left him in as just another random element, much like the Jigglypuff singing with the microphone turned off.
