What says Tresamie is a good advice. The Uf list is where I learnt the software and I met some people that became good friends and are still. The learning curve is too steep for a person by her/himself. I used many fractal programs: Fractint, most of Stephen Ferguson's ones, then tried UF in 1999. I tried since then other fractal programs but always returned to it. When I learnt it, I had already some experience with Photoshop so layers and masks were not a problem for me. For somebody having done such before, this is easier. I am not a mathematician and I exploit errors that I see will give aesthetically interesting results. So, don't feel discouraged because you deviate. Deviating can be very creative. Miche D.