artless

/ˈɑrtləs/

Yes, artless could mean lacking in art, but more often it means lacking in superficiality or deceit. An artless person could never make a living as a con artist.

Originally meaning "unskillful" or "uncultured," artless evolved into meaning not skilled or cultured in the art of deceit. If you are artless, you are natural and uncontrived. Young people, animals, the socially inept — these can all be artless in the way they express themselves. They seem to mean exactly what they say.

Definitions of artless

1. adjective

   simple and natural; without cunning or deceit
   “an artless manner”

   “artless elegance”

   synonyms:

   careless

   effortless and unstudied

   natural

   in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature

   antonyms:

   artful

   marked by skill in achieving a desired end especially with cunning or craft

   adroit

   quick or skillful or adept in action or thought

   crafty, cunning, dodgy, foxy, guileful, knavish, slick, sly, tricksy, tricky, wily

   marked by skill in deception

   cute, precious

   obviously contrived to charm

   designing, scheming

   concealing crafty designs for advancing your own interest

   deep

   exhibiting great cunning usually with secrecy

   elusive

   skillful at eluding capture

   manipulative

   skillful in influencing or controlling others to your own advantage

   pawky

   cunning and sly
2. adjective

   characterized by an inability to mask your feelings; not devious
   synonyms: ingenuous

   candid, heart-to-heart, open

   openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness

   undistorted

   without alteration or misrepresentation

   sincere

   open and genuine; not deceitful

   naif, naive

   marked by or showing unaffected simplicity and lack of guile or worldly experience
3. adjective

   (of persons) lacking art or knowledge
   synonyms: uncultivated, uncultured

   unrefined

   (used of persons and their behavior) not refined; uncouth
4. adjective

   showing lack of art
   “an artless translation”

   synonyms:

   unskilled

   not having or showing or requiring special skill or proficiency