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Estúdio Pinheiros was founded in 1988 in order to provide classes for kids and teenagers who were seduced to drawing, I mean, young people involved in learning more about the techniques and particularities of the comics’ language. They were fond of telling stories and used their abilities to convey the ideas in Comics making good use of the material that was available at the studio.

The studio provided morning, afternoon and evening classes; three hours duration. First, a three month introductory course was given to the students, then, they could take up to three classes a week, for indefinite time. The formation of the groups was according to the age, and the average was about ten students per classroom.

Great part of the students who took classes, participated in activities outdoors and special courses and stayed with me for a year; some of them remained for three years. I always requested the parents’ participation and support and I used to come up to their expectations once I was becoming a partner when the matter was their kids’ artistic education.

About the methodology applied:
I developed and improved the methodology throughout the years. It was always oriented by the principle of preparing writers, searching the best of their personal features, either the graphic style or the style itself which they felt more affinity for.

Besides being set up as a professional drawing studio, providing all the necessary techniques to the students, the uniqueness of Estúdio Pinheiros was the availability of an image database, a reasonable library and a special collection ( the famous files ) of a wide array of themes – for instance Atlantis or even the latest news about the Human Genome Project- which could be photocopied and eventually even serve as inspiration for the students’ comics. This "database" was always ready for updates, often done by the students themselves.The Estúdio Pinheiros also used to organize special courses, inviting specialists from other areas like theater, animation, photography, oil-painting, computer science ( visual programs) and several others.

When a student was ready to the market, the Estúdio also participated of this unique moment, guiding and supporting the development of the first requested services.

SPECIAL STUDENTS:After some years working, I found out that my pedagogical methodology was something really worthy for some students with the Asperger Syndrome ( autism spectrum disorder) and other disabilities.

Since then, new partnerships with psychiatrists, psicologists and organizations like Departamento de Psiquiatria da Infância e Adolescência (kids and teenagers psychiatric department) from Hospital das Clinicas were established.

The trips to my ranch in the south of Minas Gerais:
Among a wide array of special activities, the most expected one was the trip to my ranch located at the Mantiqueira mountains, south of the Brazilian state Minas Gerais, where groups of ten to fifteen students had the great opportunity to be in touch with the nature in an ecologically protected area.
We used to stay there for ten days, dedicating completely our energy to draw and several other activities, always oriented towards the perception of the nature rhythms or first-class group relationship.
At the photo gallery you can take a look at some of these moments, certainly, unforgettable and unique for those who were there.

About Domingos Takeshita - TAK - I
was born in 1958 in São Paulo. I draw since I was a little kid and had some academic, professional and political experiences before start working professionally.

When I was18, in 1976, I joined Brás Cubas Architecture University where I studied for two years. Due to family reasons, I quit this course and started studying at Belas Artes University, but only for six months, as I did not identify myself with the universities’ professors. I started working with kids and teenagers as a tennis instructor , and after a couple of years, I graduated in Physical Education.

At the end of the 70’s and beginning of the 80’s, I took part in students and popular movements campaigning for the country’s democratization. I participated in the congress in Salvador which reorganized UNE, at the syndicate movements which led to the foundation of PT “Partido dos Trabalhadores” (Labour Party) and other activities linked with the Popular Education, not only in São Paulo, but also countrywide, counting with partnerships like "the left wing” politics and others from the progressive Church.

Afterwards, I came back to PUC university , in São Paulo, for two intense and beneficial years of studying. I did not aim to graduate, I was interested in learning and I took the most advantage of the History, Philosophy, Anthropology, Semiotics and Psychology courses.At that time, publishing houses from São Paulo started contacting me in order to illustrate books, reason why I had a small studio set up. At the same time, I dedicated myself to painting and ocasionally used to take part on art exhibits countrywide.
As my wide array of interests and curiosities transcended the boundaries of the academic universe, I also found deeper in the human knowledge, the possibility to steep myself in the search of the comprehension of our experience in this planet.

Nowadays I render services as an Illustrator, create projects for companies, and also dedicate my time creating comics which I am forwarding to publishing houses worldwide.