It's fine I figured it was something like that XD language barriers are tricky when it comes to sayings.
Yes I do start with several sketches first. depending on the media depends on what I sketch with. Watercolors, pastels, colored pencils and charcoal I will start with pencil sketches. Acrylics I will either start with pencil or a wash paint sketch. Oils I use charcoal or a wash paint sketch. For pieces that I'm working from photo references there are less sketches. If I'm working from real life references like still life sets then there are many more because I will make dozens of thumbnails to figure out how I want the finished piece to look. I have dozens of sketch books with 3 minute drawings that never see the light of day after I decide the direction of a picture.

---------- Post added 01-04-2013 at 05:55 PM ----------

Here's a picture of the game that makes me want to try backgrounds.

Classic early 90's computer game. :3