Practicing fundamentals can mean excercises, warm up activities, prepratory sketches, moquettes, and meditative/mindset activities. But it is also the use color theory, composition, and technique in a finished work. Even wildly expressive art is informed by experience. The brushmark feels intuitive, but there is technique and decision-making involved. Which brush? Which angle? How much to load the brush? Soft edge or hard edge? By forgo the basics, are you meaning art that feels amateur? Often it lacks contrast and depth, or objects are rendered poorly.