I don't have time to take a closer look at everything. So as I'm browsing quickly through the thumbs I take a closer look if the quality of the thumbnail looks good. Secondly, name ... I do notice that my eyes are naturally drawn to art by certain artists, and if the thumbnail catches my eye and the name is one I'm familiar with I always take a closer look. The popularity contest doesn't affect my decision to look at something. Quality catches my eye more than how "popular" the piece is. There are a LOT of excellent pieces here that are barely commented on.