I think there is a misconception on using mechanical aids for our design. I personally like using Photoshop or Lightroom for myself.  There are a lot of other digital softwares out there to be used. But, I do not think using any sort of aid in your design is “cheating,” like some say. Historically, we know that there have been artists in history that have used, at the time, whatever mechanical gadget they had available. They used it to aid their design. We have an actual advantage over them because it is so easy to use now. It is all over and everywhere we look, even on our phones! But, at the same time, I warn you that it can also be a crutch because we know it’s always there. When we are out on the field, and you may not have your phone, you need to know how to be okay without it.

Again, we have wonderful tools we can use in the correct way. I think that artists that have passed would use these gadgets themselves if they had access. I always urge you to play around with pen and pencil on a piece of paper so it becomes intuitive to place certain things where they make more sense in the design. As said by Bill Reese “Rules can be broken but not the laws” it is very true. But, again, any kind of mechanical aid, don't let anyone tell you you can't. Just be sure you already understand the basic principles of design first, then you can use these aids any way you wish! This way, these powerful tools can be used correctly. 

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