deci6el, "(what) one can do to minimize the 3D curse"

:)))

You express yourself very eloquently!

But you are entiredly right. I doesn't have to look like water or oilpaintings.  it doesn't have to be painterly at all! For example if it was like a photography with all the little uneventness and blemishes objects have in reality that would do very nicely. But for that you also need manual skills automatics just don't do the job. At least not as good as an human can do!. No matter how you turn, your buttom is still back.