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 Pareto Principle to the test in the studio.
The Pareto Principle suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of effort. But how does this apply to artists making art? 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.
⸻
Subscribe to Smerdon Toast for more painting challenges, creative discussions, and tips for artists.
Find our art on:
• www.annesmerdon.com
• www.seabastiontoast.com
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Key topics covered in this episode:
80/20 rule painting challenge, Pareto principle art, painting challenge YouTube, art productivity tips, 80/20 rule in art, Pareto principle painting, art hacks for artists, painting challenge ideas, how to improve your art practice, artist productivity challenge, work smarter not harder art, Smerdon Toast painting challenge PAOTY contestants, Portrait Artist of the Year AU, Australian Portrait artist of the year, Portrait artist of the year Australia.
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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 Pareto Principle to the test in the studio.
The Pareto Principle suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of effort. But how does this apply to artists making art? 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.
⸻
Subscribe to Smerdon Toast for more painting challenges, creative discussions, and tips for artists.
Find our art on:
• www.annesmerdon.com
• www.seabastiontoast.com
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Key topics covered in this episode:
80/20 rule painting challenge, Pareto principle art, painting challenge YouTube, art productivity tips, 80/20 rule in art, Pareto principle painting, art hacks for artists, painting challenge ideas, how to improve your art practice, artist productivity challenge, work smarter not harder art, Smerdon Toast painting challenge PAOTY contestants, Portrait Artist of the Year AU, Australian Portrait artist of the year, Portrait artist of the year Australia.
Australian artists Anne Smerdon and Seabastion Toast go head-to-head in a 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 painting timed studies can improve your painting techniques fast
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
Follow along as we share our results, what we struggled with, what we learned, and how these quick painting studies transformed our approach to making art.
Spoiler alert: The results were life changing.
Smerdon Toast
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 Pareto Principle to the test in the studio.
The Pareto Principle suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of effort. But how does this apply to artists making art? 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.
⸻
Subscribe to Smerdon Toast for more painting challenges, creative discussions, and tips for artists.
Find our art on:
• www.annesmerdon.com
• www.seabastiontoast.com
-------
Key topics covered in this episode:
80/20 rule painting challenge, Pareto principle art, painting challenge YouTube, art productivity tips, 80/20 rule in art, Pareto principle painting, art hacks for artists, painting challenge ideas, how to improve your art practice, artist productivity challenge, work smarter not harder art, Smerdon Toast painting challenge PAOTY contestants, Portrait Artist of the Year AU, Australian Portrait artist of the year, Portrait artist of the year Australia.
