#8 Painting Challenge: Can the 80/20 Rule (Pareto principle) Make You a Better Artist?
In this episode of Smerdon Toast, professional artists and 2025 Portrait Artist of the Year AU (PAOTY) contestants Anne Smerdon and Seabastion Toast put the 80/20 Rule to the test in the studio. Can focusing on the “vital 20%” improve your art practice, creativity, and productivity — or might the most important breakthroughs come from what seems like the “80% effort”?
The Pareto Principle suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of effort. But how does this apply to artists in the studio? Can painters and creatives really work smarter, not harder? We put the 80/20 Rule to the test in this art challenge, exploring:
✅ How the 80/20 Rule applies to painting, creativity, and studio practice
✅ Why most artistic progress comes from just 20% of effort (and what to focus on)
✅ Practical tips for artists to work smarter, not harder
✅ How painting challenges can sharpen focus and lead to unexpected insights
If you’re interested in painting challenges, art productivity hacks, creativity tips, or studio efficiency, this video is for you. Watch as we test the Pareto Principle in art, share what worked, what didn’t, and what we learned along the way.
#7 Using Collage to Spark New Paintings with Ben Crawford
In this episode of Smerdon Toast, artist Ben Crawford joins us to explore how collage can be used as a powerful tool for creating artwork. From paper cut-outs to digital collaging, we dive into techniques, challenges, and creative possibilities that collage opens up for painters, mixed media artists, and anyone curious about starting their own art journey.
#6 Abstract Painting Meets Realism: How to paint on the edge of both styles
#5 Should I go to art school? (PLUS the power of secondary colours)
#4 Painting the Backlit Subject
Backlighting - it's magical to look at but murderously hard to paint. In this episode we tackle the painters version of staring into the sun while wrestling with values, technique and that pesky need for external validation.
Welcome to your next artistic reckoning.
#3 Painting light
Mapping Sunshine, Color Beams & Beat Poetry Light is everything.
In this episode, we dive deep into how artists see, capture, and harness light in painting.
We’ll talk about:
• The struggles of turning solid paint into a visual map of light beams
• Using colored light to create harmony and mood • How the shadow is essential to see light
• Morandi, art historical glow-ups, and why cats with no hair deserve a place in art history
• Plus, a little beat poetry and philosophical rambling (as usual)
Whether you're a painter seeking to elevate your understanding of light, or an art collector curious about what makes a painting glow, this one’s for you.
Subscribe for more deep-dives into painting, color theory, and the messy beauty of contemporary representational art.
Hosted by working artists who actually paint (and talk a lot). Drop a comment about your favorite use of light in art—or your favorite hairless cat.
#lightinpainting #figurativeart #artcollectors #contemporaryart #paintingtechniques #colorharmony #sunlightstudy #morandi #artisttalk #artpodcast #artyoutube
#1 Alla Prima Painting Challenge
We’re going head-to-head in a Alla Prima painting challenge! There’s no do-overs, no second chances. We’re painting wet-on-wet, in one go, while trying to keep our colours clean!
We dive into:
how alla prima can improve your painting techniques fast, even though the technique isn’t as fast as you think!
how to avoid muddy colours by using a limited palette
why you should treat your paintings like teenagers
#2 The benefits of painting timed studies
20-minute painting challenge! When there’s no time to get caught up in details, you’re forced to focus on honest, intuitive painting and the results might just surprise you.
We discuss:
why painting small studies with a time limit is an essential exercise for both beginners and experienced artists,
how to push through when you think your painting is failing
chroma and the difficulty making high chroma colours lighter
why you should be careful posting everything you make on social media
why flipping your painting upside down is helpful