How I Cut My Painting Time in Half

People sometimes ask me how I have time to create art while raising a young family. Spoiler: it’s not witchcraft — but it is a set of surprisingly simple tricks.

Here’s how I shave serious time off my painting process (without sacrificing style):

1. I Actually Learned How to Paint

Revolutionary idea, I know. Before I got “fast,” I got good enough. I watched lots of tutorials, did lots of online courses, and I made LOT of art. Truly hideous art. Like, “hide it in a drawer forever” bad. But that’s how you learn what not to do.

2. I Embraced My Style

No hyper-real perfection here. My style is “suggestive with details,” which is art-speak for “I can skip half the work and still make it look good.” The secret? Capture the vibe, then sprinkle in enough detail to make people think you fussed for hours.

3. Loose First, Details Later

I start fast and messy — big shapes, loose strokes, no stress. Then I sneak in with a tiny brush or pencil for those key details. It’s basically smoke and mirrors, but it works.

4. I Actually Look at My Reference

I don’t just glance and guess. I stare it down. Shadows, darks, lights — I figure them out before I start. A few seconds of paying attention = way fewer “oops” moments later.

5. I Don’t Baby It

My loose layers stay, well, loose. I don’t get precious about it. The faster I let it happen, the more lively it looks — and the less I want to cry halfway through.

6. I Plan My Attack

I don’t waste time wondering what to paint. I keep subject ideas and pattern plans ready to go. No “blank page panic” here — just straight into the good stuff.

7. I Batch Like a Pro

Why paint one thing when you can paint three? When I’m in the zone, I batch pieces so the momentum doesn’t die. It’s efficient, it’s fun, and it means fewer cleanup sessions.

8. I Really Enjoy It

If you’re having fun, you don’t overthink every stroke. You relax. You play. And ironically, you work faster and better.

So that’s my sneaky system for cutting painting time in half: Learn the rules. Break them with style. Plan ahead. Stay loose. And most importantly — enjoy making the mess.