Britos, Heber Pintos (1942–2008)

Heber Pintos Britos, teacher, illustrator, and drawer, was born April 27, 1942,¹ in the city of Montevideo, Uruguay.² His parents were Eusébio Pintos and Adela Pintos (1904-1982), both Catholics. Since his childhood he showed a natural gift for drawing. He had contact with Adventism when his mother, who was studying the Bible with an Adventist friend, enrolled him in the Adventist elementary school in Montevideo. Later he continued his studies at Uruguay Adventist Academy. While there he received Bible studies and was baptized in 1953. In 1963 he went to Argentina to study theology at River Plate Adventist University. He stayed there for two years, and then in 1965 he decided to go to Brazil to finish his course at Brazil College where he graduated in 1967.³

Heber did not become a minister after his graduation.⁴ He rather chose to serve God as an artist,⁵ started to work as an independent illustrator. In 1968, at Brazil College, he met Ingrid, a young secretary at the Brazilian Publishing House who recommended that he work for that institution. It was there that he discovered his artistic skills.⁶ Beginning in 1969, Heber occasionally produced drawings for the publishing house.⁷ Heber and Ingrid Metz started dating and they were married September 18, 1969.⁸ From this union Fábio André and Evelyn Patrícia were born.⁹

Among the important work he did for the publishing house while an independent artist, is the illustrative graphic production of a children’s magazine called Nosso Amiguinho (Our Little Friend) launched in 1970, and done in partnership with Ivan Schmidt (editor) and Erlo Köhler (designer) of the publishing house. Heber also helped draw the characters for this magazine. In addition, Heber illustrated several books, including the covers of the The Great Controversy series written by Ellen G. White.¹⁰

In 1978 Heber became a teacher of drawing and painting at the Pan-Americana School of Arts in the city of São Paulo. He taught there until 1980 when he accepted a call to work as a drawing teacher at Uruguay Adventist Academy.¹¹ Also in 1978, he won the contest launched by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to draw the mascot for the Mundialito tournament that would happen in Uruguay. As a result, his work became known internationally.¹²

In 1981 he returned to Brazil and started to teach again at the Pan-Americana School of Arts. Between 1983 and 1984 he accepted an invitation to work at the Pacific Press Publishing Association, where he was asked to illustrate The Life of Jesus series in cartoons. These were published in English and Spanish. In addition, he drew several covers for the Junior Power Points Sabbath School lessons.¹³

Heber worked independently for 17 years. In Brazil he worked for several publishing houses, among them: Ática, Rio Gráfica, Círculo do Livro, and Abril.¹⁴ In 1986 he was called to work at the Brazil Publishing House Art Department, where he stayed for more than 21 years.¹⁵ While he headed this department, he updated the layout of publications. As a self-taught artist, his skills ranged from drawing cartoons to classic images. He retired in April 2007, and the following year he died from a heart attack on January 13, 2008, in the city of Balneário Barra do Sul, state of Santa Catarina. He was buried in the city of Tatuí.¹⁶ Heber Pintos is considered as one of most gifted artists who worked at the Brazilian Publishing House.

Sources

“Encontro celebra arte no centenário do UNASP-SP.” UNASP campus São Paulo (Online), June 19, 2015. Accessed May 11, 2017. http://unaspsp.edu.br/Noticia/Ler/encontro_com_a_arte_reune_artistas_no_unasp_sp_0.

“Héber Pintos Britos.” Revista Adventista, year 103, no. 1197, February 2008, 37. Accessed September 5, 2016. http://acervo.revistaadventista.com.br/capas.cpb.

Lessa, Rubens S. “Contratação exclusiva: O ilustrador Heber Pintos reforça o elenco de artistas da Casa.” Revista Adventista, year 82, no. 11, November 1986, 33. Accessed September 5, 2016. http://acervo.revistaadventista.com.br/capas.cpb.

Notes

1. Ingrid Pintos, interviewed by Ivo Ribeiro, Ellen G. White Research Center, Engenheiro Coelho, São Paulo, March 21, 2017.↩

2. Rubens S. Lessa, “Contratação exclusiva: O ilustrador Heber Pintos reforça o elenco de artistas da Casa,” Revista Adventista, year 82, no. 11, November 1986, 33.↩

3. Ingrid Pintos, interviewed by Ivo Ribeiro, Ellen G. White Research Center, Engenheiro Coelho, São Paulo, March 21, 2017.↩

4. Lessa, 33.↩

5. Ingrid Pintos, interviewed by Ivo Ribeiro, Ellen G. White Research Center, Engenheiro Coelho, São Paulo, March 21, 2017.↩

6. Lessa, 33; “Encontro celebra arte no centenário do UNASP-SP,” UNASP campus São Paulo, June 19, 2015, accessed May 11, 2017,

   http://unasp-sp.edu.br/Noticia/Ler/encontro_com_a_arte_reune_artistas_no_unasp_sp_0.↩

7. Lessa, 33.↩

8. Ingrid Pintos, interviewed by Ivo Ribeiro, Ellen G. White Research Center, Engenheiro Coelho, São Paulo, March 21, 2017.↩

9. Lessa, 33.↩

10. Ibid.↩

11. Ibid.↩

12. “Encontro celebra arte no centenário do UNASP-SP,” UNASP campus São Paulo, June 19, 2015, accessed May 11, 2017,

    http://unasp-sp.edu.br/Noticia/Ler/encontro_com_a_arte_reune_artistas_no_unasp_sp_0.↩

13. Lessa, 33.↩

14. Ibid.; “Encontro celebra arte no centenário do UNASP-SP,” UNASP campus São Paulo, June 19, 2015, accessed May 11, 2017,

    http://unasp-sp.edu.br/Noticia/Ler/encontro_com_a_arte_reune_artistas_no_unasp_sp_0.↩

15. Lessa, 33; “Héber Pintos Britos,” Revista Adventista, year 103, no. 1197, February 2008, 37.↩

16. Ingrid Pintos, interviewed by Ivo Ribeiro, Ellen G. White Research Center, Engenheiro Coelho, São Paulo, March 21, 2017.↩