Thanx for all the tips and ideas from you guys. I finished my image and you can see it in the gallery full size: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=819077&Start=1&Sectionid=0&filter_genre_id=0&WhatsNew=Yes I used several of the suggestions you gave me. And ICM, I finally figured out why I was having such a bugger of a time with the blending modes. I was looking at the effect you did with the desaturation and the lowered opacity and thinking that was the blending effect when all along it was the soft red edge and the gray line. Somehow I didn't connect that. Today, it finally clicked in my mind. Can you say "layer blending for dummies"?!

I really like what you've done in postwork, here..the lens flare on the blade is a really nice touch. Good work! It's this kind of stuff that inspires me to open up Bryce again...i've been slacking lately.

I like it. Top effort. 8) Cheers GG.

Aye, it turned out very nice... I daresay when your machine gets faster you should try it at a higher Ray and TIR depth...? (smiles)

okay, now I am showing my inexperience. Obviously you can see something in this image that clearly shows that I did not use a higher Ray and TIR depth. I could go try that out (and I will) but that will take hours on my slow machine so... my question is... what difference can I expect to see by doing the higher settings?

Zescanner, if you change the Ray Depth, or rather if you increase it, you will merely get MORE reflections of your characters... It's cool stuff!