Sounding a bit up myself, but this recent spell of actually drawing and uploading, and - God forbid - COLOURING makes me feel like this might not be so much of my usual 'fads' but more an actual, glorious return to dA and drawing in general.

If it is, I'm incredibly happy. I've been wanting to come back for ages, but a total lack of faith in my skills and lack of ideas in general's left me a bit 'meh' for the last few years.
I'm still a bit 'meh', but a lot less than I was.

One thing I've noticed is that, being a dA veteran who left then came back, I kind of feel like I can understand these old-school YouTubers who are saying that the YT community's changed. I can't really join in on that, being incredibly new to that community despite having an account since sort of almost before Charlie McDonnell had one.
However, I left dA just when there were starting to be rumblings in the undergrowth of a change in the community. People using the site like photobucket, people uploading 'any old crap', "nobody wants crit" (one of my pet peeves. Imo we're here to learn and improve our art as well as showcase it, and one of the best ways of learning is to take ConCrit from people who know what they're on about) and various other complaints.

Now I've come back and it almost seems like those rumblings have changed into full-scale issues.
But they're not issues.
Communities grow and change, and dA's probably happy with how it is. It still seems to be a damn good place for meeting like-minded people and sharing your art with the world. I'm sure there are still many people who give and take criticism, just like on YouTube there are still many, many people who vlog for the fun of it. For a hobby. For a way of expressing themself. To meet new people. Not just to make money.
Not that the money-makers don't exist. And if they manage it, good on them. It's not like it's an easy way out, there's still a degree of content creation involved, and if you've managed to build up enough of a fanbase to make Partner, then you must be doing SOMETHING right.
Same with art. Some people are here to sell their art. Some people are here for an ego boost. Who am I to judge them for doing something they enjoy? This is the internet. Do whatever the hell you want.

...

Okay I got a bit overly involved with this journal entry.
This was literally just supposed to be a "hey, I feel like I'm actually coming back! Isn't that great?! "
Can you tell I'm avoiding my 2000 word module essay that I only have about a week to write?
Yeah.

Hello, goodbye, see you soon