Good advice Zeb. I know when I was delineating we all learned from each other. If I saw something I liked I remembered and tried to do maybe one little part of it. If I liked it I remembered it and if I didn't I promptly for got it. Eventually those things built up in my memory bank and skills. It wasn't copying just building up techniques that became my mine, by that I mean I would put my own twist on it and made it useful to me.
First you learn the rules then when you become proficient you can successfully break the rules. It's all part of learning your chosen craft.