Howdy from Texas,

I read and re-read the thread on the apparent diminishment of distinguished artworks here at Rendo. While I don't subscribe to the notion the pages of thumbnailed renders here are actually akin to art galleries, I do notice less and less interesting-- to me-- rendered submissions.

Which, IMO, is good.

Perhaps I can better explain my thoughts with an example. When the Macintosh computer was first released, it included 9 different fonts. To graphics designers and typography purists, this was a disaster, as certainly people would begin to put fonts together on the same page in hideous ways, thus insulting the sensibilities of the elite and further diminishing the great 'unwashed.'

And, in fact it did happen. There were really BAD examples created. But then, guess what? Some of those people learned a bit, and became more interested in type and all of a sudden, mere mortals were actually creating readable graphic design. Who would of thought?

A hundred years ago, while studying for my Masters degree in design, the same thing was going on. We believed one couldn't be a designer unless you could draw really good. And, of course I was the fortunate Sneech with a star on my belly. But, many years of design experience has taught me otherwise-- we all have stars-- just different ones for different folks.

Certainly a great equalizer is Poser, and Vue. The ability to quickly create a picture of a 3D island with reflective water all around, is a start for some--and the end for others.

Even if it is the end, I enjoy celebrating the challenge. How many times has my aged father told me he could not ever be creative like his son and wife, yet watching him create his own render of an island, surely warrants my comments, "Great job!! Couldn't have done it better...way to go!!"

And after all, isn't that really what the gallery comments are about? Are we all so serious as to think we can honestly critique strangers without the benefit of a look in the eye, and carefully toned sentence? I doubt it, as too many hurt feelings have already belayed.

So, for what it's worth, I enjoy watching people learn and create, and grow in their skills, and don't mind those who only dabble for fun.

I don't mean to restart a dead thread, but rather to put a positive note on a subject which has always been of great interest to me.