Much of his artwork was dominated with depictions of the female form, with the artist stating he could see it in many places and objects.
[1] When he stated that he wanted to study art, his parents warned that he would “die of hunger.”[2] Despite this, he went on to study at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado "La Esmeralda" under teachers such as Carlos Alvarado Lang, Isidoro Ocampo, Germán Cueto, Fernando Castro Pacheco and Carlos Orozco Romero.
[8][4] Much of that career was tied with his studio Taller Libre de Grabado Mario Reyes, founded in 1965.
This production has since been cataloged and published in book and interactive CD form under the title of Taller Libre de Grabado Mario Reyes.
[2] During his career, Reyes also taught graphic design and other courses in institutions such as the Universidad Iberoamericana, the engraving workshop of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes and the Colegio Madrid.
[10][8] His printmaking favored copper plates worked in acid, mezzotint and dry point.