Charcoal, soft pastel, etc., was all the starting point. I started playing with color and paying attention to more of the details in my first year of high school. My art teacher at the time was unlike others I have encountered. She wasn't interested in having me create work that was only a replica of something already created or for it to be as realistic as possible. Instead, she enjoyed the artistic style I had naturally and took that and nurtured it.

 

She told me I had a natural way of making everything look graphic while using color in a way that she found unique. As time went on, she allowed me to create art that was more colorful for credit instead. Once again, taking me by surprise as I was used to a different type of art teacher, one more structured.

Using only black charcoal, though, as boring as it was to me, was useful. It allowed me to pay more attention to detail, taking the color away and focusing only on shadow, texture, and detail. Both, I found, are important as color at times blinds one to other things.