I really liked the look of the smaller lenses and had the progressives put in those. The optometrist wasn't sure they could accomodate the progressives, but they actually were more comfortable than the bigger lenses I used to have even though the area to look through was much smaller. I usually take them off all together for really close artwork.
I'm farsighted - you said you have to take them off to do close artwork...meaning you CAN see up close. Maybe THAT's the reason I didn't like them, and you did...the nearsight/farsight difference.