Chuck, I know exactly what you're saying. There have been times when I spent WAY more time hanging out here than actually working with the software that we're all always talking about. And discovering C&D (the precursor to OT) was even worse, because you could talk about anything, not just tech stuff. I've learned that I have to just force myself to stay away and get to work sometimes. In fact, that's why I haven't been around much lately, because I'm forcing myself to get working on my next MP product (god knows I need the money, and my wife's not about to let me forget it;). But even with that, I've been stalling and have had some false starts, and ended up saying, "Screw it, let's go see what's up at R'osity". Part of the problem is just laziness, at least in my part. It's easier to just sit here and talk about modeling than it is to actually sit there moving vertices for hours. But it's also that I don't know anyone in the "Real World" who's into this stuff. In fact, most people just piss me off! I mean, here I modeling and rendering and all on my puny 533 Celeron with 128 megs of RAM, while other people I know have powerhouse computers that they use to play lousy freakin' card games on! GAH! A 2 gig Pentium 4 for Solitaire?!?!?!? You stupid pathetic bast- um, but I digress... As far as the creativity part, just forget about "Art" and do whatever you want to do. The rest will follow. In fact, if there's one thing I'd like to see people get out of Renderosibee, it's fun. I certainly do. That's why I've never posted anything in the gallery, because that seems to shine a whole different light on your work. Then it's supposed to be "Art", and you start thinking, "Well, the lighting's not quite right, the texture is detailed enough, the pose is a bit stiff, etc.". Forget all of that, take the pressure off yourself, and just have fun. If you do it enough, you WILL develop skills whether you want to or not;) If you need inspiration, forget the gallery. Oh, there's some fine work there, but there's also an incredible flood of sameness. Like people learning to draw comics by looking at comics and not real life. I certainly didn't come up with a cartoony bee by browsing page after page of nudes... Books, movies, hell, just everyday life, that's the place to find your inspiration. And it sounds to me like lack of inspiration is indeed your major problem. So just do whatever turns you on and don't worry what people think about it, 'cause THAT'S the killer. I'm sure some people hate my bee as much as others hate nudes. You can't please everyone, so do it to please yourself. And if you do, you'll find it easier to tear yourself away from this place. It's still hard, though...;) sigh Now see what you've done? I'm SUPPOSED to be working, but instead I'm here yakking with you. I TOLD you I have the same problem!:P So go have some fun, Chuck. Go grab yourself a bee or a fairy or a slimy alien or a nude Vicki or whatever the hell pleases you and make some pics, ok?:)