[paraphrasing to avoid having to dig back through the thread]: "We don't leave comments in the National Gallery...." "If I just don't like a Picasso, that's that...." This is not exactly true. We may not leave comments in an art gallery (in fact, many galleries have a guestbook for comments), but we do discuss why we like this and not that, or this better than that, or how remarkable a fine piece by a mediocre artist is (Tiepolo's Immaculate Conception in the NG is wonderful because...). The companion whose contribution to a gallery experience is "Fragnard sucks; where's the Boochay naked girls?" should have been left outside tied to a hydrant. And if I announce to my companions that I don't like a Picasso we are looking at, the folks I hang out with would ask me why, and they would not be pleased to be told, "It's ugly, that's why!!" I'm with the folks who don't have much interest in the "Um no" comment or the "Way cool" comment. If you like it, tell me why. If you don't, then tell me why. Even if it isn't technique, I'm still more interested in "Why" than I am in your opinion, unless I know you. M