Quote - At the risk of getting flamed for this, regarding the "photorealistic" part...

There was once a time when I dreamt of achieving photorealistic quality renders.  Then I started doing some research into the subject.  It occurred to me that, as lofty a goal as that is, achieving that level of detail in the context of an actual scene is not only unealistic, it would severely diminish the artistic quality of the kind of renders I want to create.  I think photorealism is great for artists wanting to show off their modeling skills by creating head shots, static environments and inanimate objects like vehicles, rooms, and buildings, but it wouldn't mesh well with the kind of stylized renders that I want to produce.

Consider, for example, the images in this gallery:

www.luxology.com/gallery/image/

I don't think anyone here would disagree that those images are technical marvels in 3D modeling. Impressive, yes, but not particularly memorable, and I prefer art that's memorable. I want to create art that's memorable, that evokes some kind of emotion.

Now, these are just a few of the best renders I've seen in Renderosity's gallery.  They're beautifully done, full of style, and very memorable:

www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php

www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php

www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php

So... Personally, I've abandoned my own interest in photorealism; it just won't work with what I really want to do.

madno2,

I commend your efforts.  I don't have any tips for your current project, as I'm a relative newbie myself, but I do hope you find success in accomplishing your goals.