i seem to recall a number of years ago that we once had a Critique Forum, fledgling thing, barely off the ground by te time i bailed off the internet entirely.

it is a difficult thing to give someone honest feedback as one n'er knows in what spirit it shall be received. i've tried from time to time to leave feedback that always included what bits were truly well done, but also with thoughts i had that might serve to improve the image. usually such things were not received how i intended, even if i also took the time to write a private mail/sitemail to the person trying to explain my intent.

o'er the time i've been a member here, it has been rare that i received any critical feedback within the galleries that served to help me in any way; the few i had i recall to this day, things that continue to help me, and i cherish the thought that anyone actually cared enough to even bother with a comment outside of undeserved praises. as someone stated above, i think most folks post here more as a social thing [lots of true varied reasons fall within that category], and it's nothing more than just something fun to do, a hobby, with friends.

what i have found that works for me is having one or two friends where there is a strong sense of trust & care within the relationship. a real friend, typically, will have an 'investment' in you and will be more inclined to actually help, and if one happens to be overly sensitive, one would have, hopefully, an more open mind, or receptivity, to a voice of a friend, as the knowledge that a friend is not trying to intentionally hurt you would be a part of the dynamic.

i've a friend who posts here, who is quite talented, imo, and who shares things with me [progress, wip stuff], and who wants and asks for my feedback. i think my friend would say that i've helped through the feedback i give, and i, in turn, also learn a few things by being allowed TO provide honest feedback. i then am hopefully improving myself by giving feedback as well, as what i might point out are things i could p'raps apply to my own junk. and i do feel, that even if i cannot create things of my own that i feel well pleased by, or have the level of skill i so desperately wish i possessed, that i do actually have an 'eye' for this type of medium.

so my meager two cents is only just slightly different than what's been stated already - instead of joining groups, or pandering to your own 5 person fan base, put in time to cultivate a meaningful friendship with one, two or even maybe three people, who share your particular level of passion & motivation for creating in the first place. even better still, have one or more of those people be someone who creates things you truly admire, and who you might perceive as being better skilled than yourself...

and above all else, create for yourself, for just the simple joy of creating, and seek not the ideas of popularity or validation as they've really little relevance to art in the first place, i.e. learn to validate your art for yourself - after that, anything else could just feel like icing...