[dfxm12]

Hard to say without knowing what was fundamental and textbook throughout the years. I imagine nearly all successful pre-renaissance western artists and most successful pre-photography artists were more or less by the book, but even then, they probably changed things incrementally.

Without outside restrictions, any creative pursuit almost requires deviating from the norm though, even coding. Think of it like this, are you still using only the techniques you learned in college and nothing more? Do you not talk shop with your coworkers and try to think of new ways to do things?