Phase 1: Excitement while looking up references and imagining how the end result should and would look.
Phase 2: Whining because whatever I’d chosen to do at that time is “too hard” and having to scrabble about a piece that actually fits my ability.
Phase 3: Eventually will get on task and end up with something that comes out better than the panicked second phase and only a hair lesser than what Phase 1 was, despite all the initial misgiving.
I think that if I didn’t have all these phases, I’d get my artwork done faster. If I didn’t have them, though, I’d probably be way further back in what little ability* I have now. It’s ridiculous. XD!
*I’m only saying “what little” because I’m looking at works like Touch Me by Kawacy. I Can’t Reach You by Secondary-Target, and Forget me Not by xxaihxx, and many more that I’m dying of jealousy over. Please don’t get onto me about it. XD