Sorry to hear that I know how it is. I have seen a difference in this site as well since I have posted here. It seems to me art is dying everywhere not just here. When it doesn't seem like people appreciate creativity it can be hard to stay pumped up. Hope things get better here but not sure, anyway stay frosty.

Thanks for the comment, my friend! So it's not just me...

I'm planning on keeping on, keeping on, as long as possible. I go nuts when I can't create...

hope you can cheer up a lot Rod. i myself go through mood swings.you have your friends here always. comments have been slimmer . i'm guess from 6 years ago to present rendo has lost nearly 60% fewer posts and members, like folks we once knew.

a very well done moody image in your feelings my friend. i can't quite tell what is on the page she is holding. i can't get my ez skin to work. i guess it's best from your words.

A beautiful picture of a beautiful lady!

Sadly, I've noticed the changes in Renderosity as well.It's not nearly as much fun as it used to be.

I agree with Steve's comment and equally agree with what you wrote 👍take care of yourself and leave behind that damned beast called “depression”😖fantastic work as always RodS 🙋‍♂️👍

Hang in there, dude. I think we all hit these times when we feel void of any creative inkling. I know I do. I came back to the Renderosity galleries during covid (after about a 10 year absence.) Since then, I've found a bunch of marvelous artists that care about their work and the work of others. I know Rendo isn't the same as it once was, but I think some of the best people still hang out here. Oh, excellent pic, by the way!!

That "So many characters" pic I did comes to mind. I've managed to speed up my output lately with some more ideas in the pipeline. But me being me, I can be rather perfectionist - it might be my inner autistic savant.

You still have 6 functioning brain cells! I am super jealous! I've been down to less than 1/2 of a miniscule iota of a smidgeon of a brain cell for ohhhhh.. perhaps at least the last decade or more! LOL! I commiserate with you on the downfall of appreciation given artists on this site. It is like watching the decline of a good old friend seeing this part of the evolution. But hey, we still are able to give our friends a little encouragement from time to time! I still glad for that. So in that spirit, let me compliment you on your resilience in being able to stick to it and hang in there! Many many have fallen off to the side, never to be seen or heard from again. So sad. Love your image here! Wonderful work! Many fine praises and kudos from me to you!!!!!!!!

Don't let the Ardvarks get you down, Rod! I look at it this way, if people have left then that is for them and it is THEIR loss. On occasion, many have left after being upset by being unduly upset by another member. That in itself is unforgivable! But you still have Cathy and me, not forgetting so many other really first-class people on here who shall remain nameless! Depression is a killer but please don't let yourself get killed! Just think how much better you will feel when the warm weather sets in and you manage to move house! Oh and to get your Daz Studio running! Hahaha! Surely, that is a LOAD to look forward to!

Nice work on this. Terrific render and and very nice scene. Despite it being sunset, I would want to slightly brighten the scene (and even brighten your figure so slightly) and check out reducing shadows by just a few percent. All that might bring in some more detail to the image even if it is not realistic in real world photography.

Sorry for your current situation. Maybe it's the time of the year. I'm feeling rather unmotivated despite having many things I should be doing. Working on some book cover assignments gave me something to work on, but I'm sitting around depressed with my day job and wanting more time to do things I want to do, yet can't even seem to motivate to that. It might be good to switch paths to music, writing, fixing up the house or something, just to get out of the "funk".

I wish you well and don't fall to far into that hole, it's very hard to climb out. Go out with some friends for an evening and have an extra cocktail or take your drone and do some aerial photography with your wife or a friend. Wash your car. Go watch John Wick kick some ass! Practice Photoshop by making DTrump memes. I'd love to see your TNA girls dragging DT to a jail cell.

LOL... They've already had to drag his sorry butt out of the White House:

https://www.renderosity.com/gallery/items/2977982/youre-fired-re-post

Next time, they won't be so gentle... 😆

Thanks, Art! Doing better today.. Working on some TNA...

Wonderful sunset scene. ... and a hilarious re-post. That's one to cheer up!

Wow Rod...everything you said strikes a chord with me in how much this place has changed from the way it once was. The change can be attributed to many reasons and yet those reasons are not always comforting to accept. While many have left this site and are no longer active members here, their absence is what helped to make this place what it once was!

I miss many of the friends I used to have on this site that are now gone! It seems like only a small group of us remain behind. I am guilty of not visiting this site as often as I once did. I try to check in once a week if possible to view the art of fellow artists that I may have missed.

I think society is going through a big change, as many of the things we once used to have are now going away for good! Our shopping malls are fast disappearing, our gas powered cars are under government mandates to soon be replaced by electric cars, our currency is under a big push to go cashless in the near future, our banks are going away and will soon be online only, our homes are becoming so expensive that not many can afford them anymore, the cost of everything is up...yes my friend, everything around us is changing including our way of life here on this site. AI is doing a great job at replacing the creative hobby we all used to enjoy so much and it in itself is killing creativity in the process.

OK Rod you have my humble apologies if instead of cheering you from your small moment of depression, I brought darkness instead...I am personally a bit depressed myself due to the many changes we must all adapt to in this world. It seems that the master plan that the powers that be, may just be pushing harder than most people can adapt to.

My parting words to you my friend is to cheer up, go outside, take a deep breath of fresh air and remind yourself how glad we all are of you sharing your creative endeavors with all of us here at Renderosity! :-)

It's the Sith.... I just know it..

Kidding aside, you are 100% on target. This entire planet is in some kind of darkness phase - as it's been many times in the past. The big difference this time around is we have so many friggin' NUTS running countries with nuclear weapons. And now that I've REALLY brought darkness...

The depression just kinda comes and goes. I'm feeling pretty good today, and keeping my mind occupied with working on the next TNA page. And getting ready for the Super Bowl.. Go, CHIEFS!!

Hope you're doing OK, Johnny - you've had some nasty weather out your direction. I hope it clears up soon. It got to almost 60 here today. It's good having friends like you - it keeps me going!

NEW ERA START NOW ROD......!!! CRAZY TIME TO COME

GREAT SUNSET AND BICE CREATION ;-)

very peaceful!

I too find the galleries here of much less interest than they used to be, and sometimes annoying to browse with the repetitive posts of some users. There is still great stuff appearing sometimes, but nowadays I feel as if I have to wade through a lot of junk to find it, and it is a struggle. If the notification system was reliable that would help, but it isn't!

On top of that I have mental health problems at the moment and sometimes when I do find something worthy of comment or praise I still cannot persuade myself to type anything. Please remember that I do value your posts here even when I cannot persuade myself to comment.

No problem,my friend! I sometimes think I need to find a good therapist. I get frustrated far too easily lately.

I know what you mean about all the increasing amount of repetitive BS taking over the galleries. I tried to submit some ideas in the "suggestion box" forum, but all that happened was me getting a 7 day ban from the forums.

Take care, my friend and get better - that's priority # 1. I need to catch up on comments as well. Including your awesome dino work.

I think a lot of the less traffic on our posts is in how Renderosity now notifies users of new art. I am following nearly 250 artists. But, Renderosity only notifies me of the same 10-15 artists, over and over, again. And most times, multiples of the same artist's works in the same notification! I liked it much better when they were sending out individual emails for each artist.

You're lucky if you're getting 20 or so comments in 3-4 days. Anymore, I'm lucky to get that many in a month!!!!

So, in the words of Ricky Nelson . . . . . .

But it's, all right now. I learned my lesson well. You see, you can't please everyone . . . So, you got to please yourself.

Hi little brother, this new image looks simply very beautiful and well done, love the tittle too, you can imagine why and I love Johnny's and Gary's comment! I don't care if I'm shunned because of AI, but my health and my eyes are more important to me than comments!

Technology is here to try us...when it works its fantastic and when it doesn't, well time to dust off the abacus once more :)

I agree with you in regards to the site and this kinda thing was why I left in 2013, deleted my gallery and stopped creating ultimately. Didn't get the bug again until 2020 and after a few short years I see the site is back where it was and with what is going on in my world right now and the world in general I find the joy of being here fading fast.

Without some positive change I cannot in all honesty see myself remaining here for much longer as my desire to create has once more started to fade as a result of the site's direction and it is takes a lot of time now to find new, interesting, inspiring art. Nuff said :)

Try not to stress about the things you cannot control and if it works fine then dont update unless its for security. Peace :)