Rita Carvalho, a fan of the San Francisco 49ers, didn't think quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would stay with the team. The extended stay by Garoppolo has turned a social media tribute into a labor of love.
It's love for Garoppolo. The Niners are a team that I love. Her boyfriend is the love of her life. Love of art is the top priority. All of that, combined with some inspiration from the Major League Baseballlock and the world of pop culture, led Carvalho to begin drawing Garoppolo every day until the Niners trade him.
When she made that decision, she thought it would be a month or two of drawings. A right shoulder surgery for Garoppolo, an entire free-agent period, NFL draft and offseason program later and Carvalho is so accustomed to drawing Garoppolo that she can now do it from muscle memory.
It's not clear when the end will arrive, but it's been 150 days since Carvalho's 150th day.
He thought he was going to be traded sooner. I stopped making the drawing every day because I had to work on something else.
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 1-4: pic.twitter.com/LSu9fU0uf1
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) March 17, 2022
Garoppolo's status and Lance's ascension to starting quarterback after being selected in the first round of the 2021. The digital drawings, which Carvalho does on her iPad with an Apple Pencil and a program called "Procreate," depict Garoppolo in an array of pop culture settings.
Customers can purchase T-shirts, hoodies, prints and coffee mugs with their favorite drawings, thanks to a shop created by Carvalho and her boyfriend.
The "Lion King" inspired drawing that shows Garoppolo in the spot of Rafiki holding up Lance is one of the most popular drawings. Garoppolo and Kittle take the place of Rose and Jack in a tribute to "Titanic." An homage to "Dirty Dancing" in which Garoppolo is seen being held over his head has done well.
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 9-12: pic.twitter.com/sdZMYEDyOR
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) March 17, 2022
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 13-16: pic.twitter.com/o0gO7hKtDe
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) March 17, 2022
Garoppolo liked the drawings so much that he kicked them out.
Garoppolo told ABC 7 that he appreciated it. It's unique to it. We will find out how many more you have to draw.
Drawing Garoppolo every day seems like a daunting task, especially as his situation has lingered, but it's become an every day staple for Carvalho and Sousa, both natives of Portugal. It's strengthened their relationship since it was Sousa who introduced them to Garoppolo.
Two years ago, the pair started dating. Sousa became a fan of the 49ers after catching a game in 2010 and researching the team after the game was over. He tried to get her invested in his passion for the Niners.
He said he was going to like the player. He introduced me to Jimmy because he was attractive. He believed that he would like him.
The couple followed the 49ers together. There is an eight-hour time difference between the Pacific Time Zone and Porto, but that doesn't stop Carvalho and Sousa from staying up late to watch sports. If it's a prime-time game, they'll record it and shut off all communication with the outside world to make sure they don't reveal anything.
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 44: pic.twitter.com/l0wLK1YurI
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) March 18, 2022
The Niners were preparing to trade Garoppolo after he said goodbye at a news conference. He graduated from the college of arts and design in Portugal. She's taking a year off in order to further her art.
As a 49ers fan and participant on the team's website, Sousa suggested Carvalho draw Garoppolo and post it on the site. He drew a tribute to what he'd done for the Niners. There was a positive response. The inspiration for drawing Garoppolo every day until he is traded came from a baseball fan who had been drawing Mike Trout every day.
Suggestions for more drawings came quickly. Many fans from the US have reached out. France, Germany, Ireland and Australia are some of the countries that have encouraged Carvalho. Generating ideas has become the most time consuming part of this journey and those suggestions have been welcomed.
The two men will sit down and come up with new ideas every night. Most of the pop culture ideas are based on American shows and films. Most of the shows, music, movies and internet meme are just as popular in Portugal as they are in the US.
Drawing Jimmy G every day until he gets traded. Day 136: pic.twitter.com/M2fzZntk8A
— Rita Oak (@ritaoak_art) June 18, 2022
Once the pair comes up with an idea, they will discuss various aspects of the drawing, where Garoppolo fits in and ways to put their own spin on it so it's recognizable as their own brand.
It's brought us together more because we talk about it all the time. We need to share it. She's so proud of me.
Occasionally, Carvalho will knock out a few and send them out on a daily basis via her phone. Depending on how intricate the rendering is, it can take between half an hour and an hour. Like any artist, Carvalho may need to step away from his work. She tries to do them in a single sitting.
She was able to do it blindfolded because she drew Garoppolo so many times. She's had plenty of practice for her dream job. She pays special attention to Garoppolo's chin line and eyebrows, but also says a few other Niners like Kittle, Samuel and Juszczyk can also be drawn from muscle memory.
"I want to be an artist and I was giving it all this year to just try to put my art out there." This was a great way to get feedback and start creating a portfolio. I didn't think I'd be getting messages from people who love my art. I'm very appreciative of the fact that I can do my art.
It's not clear how long this will last. Garoppolo is expected to get the green light to resume throwing in July. After Garoppolo returns from his shoulder surgery, he's most likely to be traded, according to the coach.
Which leads to the question of what Carvalho has in store for the grand finale.
The people are expecting a big event. I can't fail.
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