What looked OK on the easel may look great or god-awful in Looking Glass Land. I think that in reversing the image and doubling the distance between it and myself, I am ripping it out of myself, allowing me to see it as a separate object in the world. Of course we do this and must do it, but there can be a subtle tyranny hidden in this habit. We superimpose our own cultural aesthetics on Nature, which has no aesthetics. It may be a great picture, of course, but what started as inspired creativity after a while may smother the creative spark.
Creativity is never in equilibrium.
My experience is that no matter how inventive I may think I am, I can never match the amazing inventiveness of Nature. I have had several big break-throughs in advancing to where I am now. Instead of going through piles of paper a day I can now make up to 15 sketches per page. I use an inexpensive photo enlarger to transform it onto canvas. I can easily make a painting 4'x6' with this method.