In a public forum in which artists' cliques rule the roost (witness the recent "pink pony" debacle and many others over the years}, the phrase "helpful comments for improvement" is a sham. Even if the issue is glaring, and the artist has evidently banked on popularity and not on the meticulous care they took in presenting their work, any "helpful comments for improvement" are an invitation to be pilloried, whether publically, in e-mail or by Instant Message. True, diplomatic and well worded input would be immensely useful, but, like myself, most people value their peace too much to open themselves to the revenge of the cliques. I know that way back when, I posted a long, very carefully worded and thought out suggestion list under a piece by one of the then darlings of Renderosity. My comment (truly a "helpful comment for improvement", not arbitrary and kindly worded) was suffixed by a list of people defending the artist - who was in no way under attack. None of the artist's devoted admirers who responded under the painting even commented on the painting itself, just on my suggestions, which in and of itself is offensive to the artist. Interestingly, the artist never looked at his/her own work and learned from it or altered it (which most of us would have done). He/she (purposefully non-gender specific here...) just deleted the painting. I learned then that Renderosity is not about truly helping each other grow as artists or contributing our own "eye" to that of others. Its about back patting. I learned that in this place, the old social adage that runs "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" is the only way to share our own art in peace. Over the years, and in silence, I have followed the evolution of some of the talent in Renderosity very closely. I have seen some artists whose work has truly bloomed and continues growing and being perfected. I have seen some whose talent is evidently vast who are stuck in the same ol' same ol', never pushing themselves forward because their cliques pat their back so efficiently that they never grow. But I will not leave a true "helpful comment for improvement" again. I selfishly value my own creative space too much. I'm sorry this happened to you Eowyn. One lives, one learns. Don't let this halt your own quest for personal excellence and your own sharing!