I started drawing very early; it was my first language, just as it is for other children. Obviously with no idea of what I might actually become, I began inspired by the lines my cousin Nuno drew in pencil on the walls of our bedroom. Obsessed with those lines, I always tried to imitate him and do even better. Some time later, I realised I could redraw the characters from video games, almanacs, films and cartoons, until I thought I could create my own “universe”. I am a real disaster in other areas; I have never devoted myself so much to anything other than the art of making comic-strip narratives. I admit that today this is all I know how to do, and I try to do it as perfectly as possible.
I find my work fascinatingly curious. The art of graphically “printing” an idea, concept or thought onto a blank canvas, telling a story with a beginning and an end, in which we can convey a message, form opinions, spark debates and inspire readers and followers, is motivating and stimulating. We feel rewarded when a stranger turns up and asks more of us. We realise that somewhere there is someone who draws inspiration from our endless hours of creativity, making them a light to guide them in the search for their talent or in the improvement of their skill. As I keep saying, it is not just about illustrating, but also about encouraging and inspiring others.

My best ideas come from everyday life, from the day-to-day. When something happens to me, or I witness something that fascinates me, I imagine how that real story could be in a fantastical, imaginary world. I add the “exaggeration” factor, and that's it. Imagination takes care of the rest. We all like a story. But if we add the power of the surreal, then we have an excellent story. Training and constantly repeated practice are the essential ingredients for achieving perfection. You have to see what others do and copy it; there is nothing wrong with copying. Copying makes whoever does it a student; what is bad is wanting to remain a student for ever.

At national level, unfortunately, we do not have many references; I would even venture to say almost none. If we do, they are not here in Mozambique. There is an enormous space left by artists of the past, and I have the ambition to fill that space by becoming the reference. I can cite Marco Rudy, Nuno Plati and Hélder Pilote as examples of my references for comics. Maísa Chaves, Hélder Sutia, Neyla Francisco and Zacarias Chemane as illustrators. Speaking of whom I would like to collaborate with one day, internationally, I must mention Olivier Coipel, Nuno Plati, Romita, EPHK, Francesco Mortarino and Dan Mora. There are so many who influence my way of seeing, making and living comics that I could not mention them on a single page.

There was an episode that left its mark on me when I was in secondary school and was a real collector of comic magazines. By then I was already illustrating a lot, and my mother, worried about the time I spent on that activity rather than on my school textbooks, decided to hide all my books of that kind. She promised to give them back as soon as the school year was over, and three years went by. Now, an uncle of mine, my mother's brother, who also liked comics in his youth, told me that his father, that is, my grandfather, had done the same thing and promised to return the magazines after the school year ended. That never happened; the magazines had been burned. I then realised it was the end of my collection and that I would never again have access to my comics. The good part of all this is that, because of that episode, I decided I was going to make my own stories. I can only say thank you.

The digital world has had a tremendously positive impact on the world of the arts. I remember that, when there was little access to networks, it was hard to know about or get to know the work of our idols, or to have access to tutorials or other tools. Today it is possible to showcase work and get advice and criticism in return, collaborate remotely and earn money from it, as well as bring together people who share the same goals, dreams and missions.

I want to make my own path. To become a reference, first nationally and then beyond borders. If possible, from here, from my country, because it is here that I feel I am needed. I want to make comics and sign them with my own name, creating a brand that can boost, motivate and inspire not only comic enthusiasts, but all those who, with or without resources, believe they can make a difference, becoming idols to themselves.