sailcloth.... that sounds like canvas.  i bet i could use that in a lot of settings.  though being a matmatic fan, the proper thing would be to figure out how to generate a canvas shader with loom. 

on the lighting: yeah, that's true, but i find it necessary to at least get close in poser to what i want.  and i'm not even vaguely there.  i think the problem is that i just don't know enough (as in anything) about what i'm trying to simulate.