At first you might treat it like a mechanical process. And it will get you pretty far along. But you don't really want to stop there. There is a level where you let the algorithms and mathematics and the concepts become your second nature and change you. And when you close your eyes and concentrate, you'll see the deep symmetries and beautiful rules and the generators of the craft. When you touch a broken piece of work, you'll sometimes see the flickers shining through, and maybe you'll just know where it needs a small um, metaphorical loving kick to let things fall in the right place. If someone asked, sometimes you could explain it, sometimes not, and usually you'll need more time to explain why it worked than making it work. I guess it comes with casting ten thousand spells and see them blow up a thousand different ways, with hearing the same thing said from a hundred points of view, that you no longer wield the art as a tool, but the art wires up into the rest of you and becomes just something you are.

Cool new cyberpunk-styled pic from  KuraiTora