By the use of humor, incisive observation and nostalgia he has portrayed many of the young generation of Portuguese artists.
Later, he successfully entered the city's Faculty of Fine Arts, where he was influenced by other artists such as Eduardo Batarda and Álvaro Lapa.
Inspired by the works of Robert Crumb, Harvey Pekar, Art Spiegelman, Adrian Tomine, Manuel João Vieira and Charles M. Schulz, among others, soon he started to draw comics.
[1] In June 2008, some of Mendes' work was published in English by Plana Press under the title Tomorrow the Chinese will Deliver the Pandas (ISBN 978-989-95807-1-8).
Anos Dourados, a compilation of observational drawings (mostly portraits of friends) and comics, was released in 2013, by Mundo Fantasma and Colégio das Artes.