How did you get involved with Xaa or other graphics software?

[Rik]

Well, if Wordwise for the BBC Micro was something to do with Xara, then I've been using Xara since May 1984.

But, for drawing I got Xara X1 first. It was free with a magazine, I think.
Didn't really know what it was, or what you could do with it.
Tried a few tutorial by Gary Priester, but as a beginner, I either got stuck or there was something in the tutorial that could not be done in Xara X1.

Decided to get Xtreme Pro 3.2, and with the help of all the TG members, I got started and managed to learn enough, to be able to get some decent results.
Of course, I've been upgrading whenever a new version of Xara has come out.

Would you call Aldus PhotoStyler a graphics software? I never did any drawings in it. Used it to make a few changes on a few photographs.
If you count that, then I was using that in 1991.
Then I was told that PhotoStyler changed into PhotoImpact.

EDIT: Yes. You're right, Paul. Computer Concepts Ltd. (now Xara) developed software for the BBC Micro, Atari ST etc... So, Wordwise was by Xara.
Never got ArtWorks or CorelDRAW.
So, my first drawing package (as I would call it) was Xara X1.