Freshman Fletcher Coblentz has been making art since he was four years old and has continued to expand his art and self-expression, using different mediums to experiment and channel his creativity into something tangible.

Coblentz said “I change from medium to medium all the time because that’s the only way I stay engaged with my art, but I do a lot of free sketches, digital art, creative lettering and calligraphy and a couple other types.”

The range of mediums that Coblentz uses expands his artistic abilities and creates a spectrum of opportunities for expression.

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“I like to differ from my style all the time because I feel like it’s the only way I can grow and develop as an artist. I like to tap into different styles just to see what I should work on or if there’s anything I can take away from doing things differently,” he said.

Coblentz said he makes art as a form of self-expression, as it’s the most effective for him. “ It’s something I find super stimulating and rewarding. Art is one of the few things that I can easily put all of my attention and focus into, and I enjoy both the process of making it and the final result,” he said.

To avoid overthinking, Coblentz tries not to think about details when he’s getting started with a new piece of art. “The very first thing I do when sketching is create line after line after line and then choose which line I like best, and I don’t usually erase anything until I’m completely done sketching, which makes a mess of sketches that I work off of to create my final product.” He tries to create large structured shapes and then work them in together. “I really like drawing organic shapes and the multiple lines help give shapes a more fluid feel,’ he said.

Coblentz cites an art teacher he had years ago as someone who helped him improve his art by having him avoid erasing it until much later in the process. With the guidance from that previous teacher he’s able to continue his art process smoothly.

Once he’s done with sketching his art, he moves on to choosing a color pallet, which he said was his favorite part. “I’m very particular about it, but I think it pays off because of the different feelings or general appeal of a piece from just the colors I choose.”