It is hard when you work really hard on an entry and it doesn’t get many (or any) votes. But you can only see your work through your filter. That’s why it is so brutal to put your artwork out there and have it judged alongside others.
It is evident @Blutag that you did a lot of modeling and if voters were voting just on modeling then maybe you would get more votes. I found your light spires confusing: I couldn’t tell if they were volumetric lighting coming from little hanging lights or actual objects. Even a crop like follows I think shows off your models more.
I have struggled to find success in the challenges and I have been participating less. But it should be challenging to win… I know this. Just need to make sure to keep encouraging people to be part of it.
Also (and this is one I struggle with when I enter) it has to read THEME. So yours does not read “SHOP” to me. If you are playing to win it seems necessary that it must read the theme. (Unless you are Helge and can do something crazy cool, or funny and amazing, but that person doesn’t seem to throw their hat in the ring; they seem to be on a different level)
Or this view