Mexicana de Aviación
In 1949, Barrios worked as a sign designer at Eureka Rótulos Neón, where he met his first sponsor, Mr. Alejandro Tajonar Torres. Barrios received a fixed salary (1950–1952) from Tajonar to help him with his then ongoing studies at the School of Arts and Advertising (Escuela Libre de Arte y Publicidad), where he was the student of Ricardo Bárcenas. These were the years where he would know other eminent professors as Barrios grew in the artistic environment, including Carlos Inclán and General Ignacio Beteta. By the end of his studies, he was the winner of a drawing contest that opened for him the doors of the once important Airlines "Mexicana de Aviación". It was in the now extinct airlines that Barrios met his second sponsor, Mr. José Antonio Patiño, who was quick to understand that Barrios was considerably more inclined to artistic painting rather than commercial drawing. And thus, Mr. Patiño felt moved to sponsor not only several of Barrios' voyages around the globe, but also a number of expositions. From that moment (1965), and held up by the ceaseless support of Mr. Patiño, Barrios began to devote all his efforts to the watercolour technique.