heyas; you can't conform a figure to itself (it's identical twin, i should say), but that MIGHT be fixable if you create a conforming version of it. ie (as scott discovered): you need to set all the initvalues to zero. in standard figures they are not all zero, thus the problem -- or at least part of it. the old masters used to paint fleshtones in a similar manner, using transluscent layers of paint to get that lively skin 'glow.' thanks for the article, jk. :)