My mind's eye

I'm finding with the Trevelyon's Cap project that my inner eye isn't as good as my inner ear. I'm a musician and was a professional for 25 years. I can hear music in my head and write it down. What I can't do (yet?)  is imagine something in my head and then create it, knowing exactly how it will look when it's finished. My inner eye isn't well developed.For example, this leaf (which has been corded Brussels stitch in Gilt Sylke Twist and corded Brussels stitch with gold and silk) has now been restitched in long and short shading. I think it's better. Until the whole piece is finished, though, I won't be sure.I've redone the couching on the blue thistle flower so now it's all gold rather than the GST. I think it's better... The yellow leafy thing to the left of the blue flower I've already taken out. After looking at this piece through all it's stages, I DO know that a flower or a leaf that's all one solid color isn't a good choice. It makes everything look chunky and child-like.The little rose buds on the bottom right of the photo above look good and I think they'll stay as they are. It's quite colorful and when the gold thread is in, it will also be bright and have some sparkle. Even when one panel is done, though, I still won't be able to see it in my mind's eye completed, in three dimensions, all sewn together.I'm not bothered about this: I accept that I don't have enough experience in this kind of embroidery to know how something will look or even to choose the correct thread and stitches the first time (or the second time!) around. It's all about learning and developing my mind's eye.What about you? How's you mind's eye?