Yeah, had the same worry with a big hospital job. Using xrefs for core elements kept the main file surprisingly light.

My kitchen calendar is just a free one from the auto shop. It works because I see it ten times a day. @oliviajenkins, that digital tab chaos might be your version of the same thing, a system you actually look at. The tool has to fit into your existing life, not the other way around.

Saw a video once where a painter said the same thing about photography when it was new. They called it cheating because a machine did the work. But you still need an eye for composition and light, right? Same with digital art. That guy probably thinks a sculptor using a power tool isn't real either. Pushing buttons? You think knowing which buttons to push, and when, doesn't take years to learn? It's just a different kind of brush.

My coffee budget could fund a small studio at this point.

My Denver friend said the same thing, and now I watch every pilot.