David Hockney's Secret Knowledge

Leaving the classroom after seeing David Hockney's film made me wonder throughout the day how this type of method would be considered a "cheat" or maybe this could have been just a guide? But Knowing that these artist did not paint these images as I imagined completely blew me away. This whole time I thought that these artist (aka "masters") figured out the way to use perspective and real methods to get their measurements right. Then years later I sit in my Art History II class to find out that everything I thought was completely off. I do not look back and see these "master" from the Renaissance period and think of them as cheaters, but at the same time it's hard to see them as real "masters." I understand that some of the artist kept using the lenses and mirrors to help guide their work, but in the end it's as if the artist traced their work and filled them in with color. In my eyes I see this method the same as tracing? I believe that anyone can trace a picture and work on it to look more realistic. On the other hand using paint is difficult. The Renaissance artists did show their talent in using their paint to make the art look so real. I do acknowledge (and love) the way the Renaissance artist used their paints and are so delicate in their artwork. There's no doubt in my head that these "masters" were the real "masters" in the end; for they made us think that they knew what they were doing, and that they are masters of their time. Driving home at the end of the day I feel as if seeing David Hockney's film made my views on the Renaissance art on the disappointment side. It's so hard to see a painting from the 1400s and imagining the artist just painting these images. All I can see are many artist using the mirrors to help get the measurements right for their artwork.