TJ... I know what you mean, I couldn't afford C2 when it came out, but I just couldn't pass this one up. Already downloaded your converter and have plans for it, THANKS. Still using Bryce and popping in and out of the forum every now and then, but C3 is just so much fun... Nicholas... I tried putting a gradient map in the trans. channel, too, but didn't like the "glassy" look it was giving... and it drove my render times through the roof. Here's a (rather large) screenshot of the shader I came up with. And, I like the NPR render... I'm still trying to come up with something I like using the NPR renderer... would really like to recreate an Albrecht Durer kind of etching/pen & ink type of effect... but that's another thread....