Eowyn, Not knowing which image you are speaking of, or even what you said I cannot say what you said was or wasn't too "harsh" for some of the sensitive people that frequent the galleries. There are "degrees" of honesty, as has already been pointed out. There is the brutally honest, where not one iota of tact or thinking of the other person's feelings is taken into consideration. There is the type of comments that you only post what you like and not say the rest and then there is the "constructive critique" of an image. So there are schools of thought on how honest one should be, or the politically correct honest etc....it's like art, it's all subjective :) But it is all honest just the same. We don't have to say everything that we are thinking (the letting it all just tumble out syndrome)in order to be honest, we just need to be honest in what we DO say. If what you said was with the intent to help the person and you said it in such a way that if it had been one of your images that the critique was given, you would read it and say 'I've learned from this' then the person has overreacted. Again, there can be many reasons for the overreaction...but if in fact you were wanting to help the person and commented on it as if it were something you would want posted in your gallery, then don't worry about it. Just continue doing what you do. Just make sure that it is done with compassion and the intent to teach someone something oh so very gently. Most of us are thin skinned and sensitive.. comes with the creative territory..and we all have an obligation to nuture those that are just learning so they will continue to want to learn and continue to post their works as they get better. Personally, I find it very hard to give constructive criticism, fearing that people really don't want to learn, that they would rather get the 10's and the "wows" etc...I k now I would LOL!! (just kidding). Or as in your case, getting an IM giving me insults I really don't need nor want to hear. On more then one occasion I have gone into an image where there are some times twenty comments of "wow" "perfect" "this is great!" blah, blah, blah and I can't get past the imperfection that I see...so I don't comment..I don't offer up something that would probably help someone..I simply don't want the hassle anymore. I now bascially comment on something that moves me or deliberately click on images that have very few views or comments...as I know how discouraged someone can become if they post consistently but get few views or comments. I've been there done that and am still doing it :) I truly hope that anyone that comments on my images are being honest, I would hate to think they were not...I don't think I have had the pleasure of any of your comments on my images Eowyn, or even very few of you that are posting in this thread (waves at -Cin)but I have seen your comments on other's work and I have never known you to be tactless. Straight and to the point, but not tactless :) (me, I've been known to be both if occasion calls for it) And also as has been pointed out, we don't always know what the artist is striving for, photorealism, painterly, abstract or whatever. So even when we do critique it really is from a personal point of view, isn't it? It's really a tough call. So, please continue being honest, be yourself but we all need to remember that critiquing an image does not give us the right to hit the artist over the head with a sledgehammer. That's my five bucks worth :)