@Chris Legaspi Thanks Chris. I should have been more clear I was looking for something like 10 points = level 2, 100 points = level 3, etc. Though this might not be something that would want to be public information. I achieved level 2 yesterday and now have access to the free lessons, which was my main driver for asking the question. So I am good. Thanks again.

Ok to close the loop, I found the info on the profile page. Level 1 - 0 points Level 2 - 5 points Level 3 - 20 points Level 4 - 65 points Level 5 - 155 points Level 6 - 515 points Level 7 - 2,015 points Level 8 - 8,015 points Level 9 - 33,015 points

@Jo Sheridan Hi Jo! Thanks you and it is good to know you are here as well. 😊

@Chris Legaspi thank you. Glad to be here and was glad to discover you set this up.

@Chris Legaspi — thanks for posting that video. I watched it yesterday, and it was exactly what I needed. You explained the strategy clearly and made it easy to see where I’ve been missing the mark. I’ve been posting on Instagram for a while, mostly to share progress with friends and keep a visual journal, but lately I’ve been digging deeper into how the platform actually works. I’m starting to take it more seriously since I want to begin selling my work, and social media will play a bigger role in that. One thing I’ve noticed that helps is engaging with other people’s posts and commenting for about 10 minutes before uploading something new — it seems to boost reach with non-followers. I hadn’t heard about the 90-day consistency factor before, so I’m going to stick with that and keep refining my approach. Thanks again for sharing your insights — it really motivated me to rethink my strategy.

Nice work — the proportions read really well to me. I’m curious about your approach here. Were you sight-sizing, using a measuring tool, or working more from angles and relative positions? I took a class last year that covered a few different measurement methods, which helped clarify some things, but it’s still an area I’m trying to strengthen. I’d love to hear what worked for you on this study.

To answer the original question—yes, I think so. Over time, I’ve developed a studio rhythm where I work on three or four 9x12-inch mixed-media paintings at once. I mostly use acrylic, charcoal, graphite, colored pencil, and wax crayon—really anything that feels right in the moment. This process puts me into a flow state where I lose myself completely. It’s become a form of meditation. These works are intuitive, drawn from memory and imagination. For a while, I struggled with how much time I spent on them, feeling it might compete with my more “serious” studies. I worried I wasn’t growing. Now, I treat weekends as a space for this freer, exploratory work and weekdays for more deliberate, academic practice. Looking back over the body of work, I can see real growth—in confidence, material handling, and approach. My hope is that the two modes—the disciplined study and the intuitive play—continue to inform and strengthen each other. One thing I’ve learned, and have to relearn often, is to notice when art starts to feel stressful. That’s usually a sign I’ve become too attached to outcomes. Nothing stifles creative flow—or growth—faster than that.