End of series?? What I've learned...

Yes, I finished all 21 paintings from the 21 value studies heather and I spent an entire day drawing one June day. Am I done??.. I doubt it. Like mike said, every day I think of new was to approach these objects and now that I have completed the "required" assignment so to speak, I am free to get as wild and crazy as I want and see what I come up with. I may not do one a day but I am going to continue working on this series.  There was a clear turning point for me as mike said there's would be, somewhere around 15 or 16. I no longer approached my painting as a chore, sick and tired of the same objects, but with great enthusiasm and excitment. I realized I was looking forward to seeing what was next and what creativity would take over each day.  Which gets me to the 'what I've learned' part:

1 I've learned to free myself from the 'rules' that we are all so afraid to let go of as artists which keep us from just painting for the fun of it, with no though of can I sell this? Will everyone like it? Does it follow all the rules? Does it look like the picture? Etc.  

2 an hour is enough time to do a successful painting. It keeps me loose as there is no time to get picky and detailed. 

3 a limited palette can make the best paintings. The ones I like  the best are just 3 or four colors. 

4 I love painting just for me!  I really have only shared these with a couple of  people and not for critique but just to show how much fun I've been having!

5 I've learned to paint bigger! A quarter sheet seems small now

6. I've learned the importance of a value sketch. Yes I've always done one before painting but now I will do several or many before I begin a painting. Soooo many different ways to interpret a photo. 

I know there must be many more I can't think of right off but I want to thank mike bailey for pushing us so hard in class and for the idea of the series and to heather for challenging me to do it!!