Well, artists are fond of saying "there's no rules in art", that is until you violate all the ones they've set down as acceptable art. So, if three's no rules,

Well, artists are fond of saying "there's no rules in art", that is until you violate all the ones they've set down as acceptable art. So, if three's no rules, then there's no way to really cheat. Do whatever you want to make whatever art you feel like making, and hell just calling yourself an artist is all it takes to be one these days. However, if you're pretending that you have an innate ability that's actually the result of technology, or if you're teaching people a topic and lying to them about the tools you use, then yes you're cheating. I can understand a painter not admitting she uses computers to help her paint if she's selling the paintings and doesn't want to ruin the mystique. But, I've ran into teachers that pretend to not use tech and then you find out they totally do, and that's just wrong. The French Salon era was full of this kind of con artistry where teachers would run schools full of cast painting and boring exercises and then the teacher would go off and use projection to make their paintings anyway. David Hockney points out a few like this. So I think if you're lying to people about the tools you use, or downplaying the significance of tools, then you're full of crap. Otherwise, rock on and do what you do.