During high school, I took a photography class where I learned many new things, sparking my interest in the world of photography and design. I decided to delve deeper into this world and consulted my teacher from that time. I asked him if it would be worthwhile for me to invest in a drawing tablet, to which he unequivocally advised me to do so. I proceeded to negotiate with my family to acquire one.

I obtained the tablet and also began using Photoshop. During that period, I had concerns about whether my computer could handle the workflow I had in mind. I encountered issues with the screen, which did not accurately represent colors, so I had to connect a TV to my computer for color calibration.

I remember visiting my teacher's office frequently to seek guidance on Photoshop-related queries, recommended commands, various tricks, and often just to discuss life in general. I learned many things from the course more quickly than originally anticipated. On some occasions, I was offered design work, but as a 17-year-old with no experience, I always turned to him as a mentor when it came to pricing and the appropriate procedures to follow.

One year, there was an event at my school called KipMun, which involved organizing a Model United Nations event attended by students from various high schools. The event organizers approached me to create the event's website, knowing of my web design experience. I accepted the task, but at the time, I felt that the event's logo lacked personality. Consequently, I decided to rebrand the event. Naturally, my first point of consultation was my teacher, who helped me with the sketching process, vectorization, color selection, and taught me more professional aspects, such as creating a corporate manual, among other things.

During the pandemic, I continued attending his classes, even though I had already completed the course. I simply enjoyed being in his classes due to his teaching style and his incredibly energetic and inspirational attitude. One day, I realized the profound impact my teacher had on my life. Thus, I decided to express my appreciation, respect, and gratitude in a meaningful way - by elevating my digital drawing skills and creating a personalized poster as a gift.

It took weeks of online courses, learning about drawing materials, and even restarting my computer because I had accumulated over 1000 layers in Photoshop. However, in the end, I succeeded in creating the poster. One day, I presented him with the poster, along with a frame containing the mood board I had created for the illustration and another frame with the first $100 I had earned, to demonstrate the tangible results of his teachings. It was my way of showing how his guidance had led to one of his students generating income from what he had taught.

As my teacher would say:

"Knowledge should not be hoarded, for as we all become more knowledgeable, the overall level rises, and we all benefit. There is no greater satisfaction for a teacher than to have a student express gratitude for their teachings and demonstrate that what they were taught has been of value."