Thank you LaurieA and Rhionon so much for the lovely materials! I'm also going to give the pointlight trick a try on a test render.

"A lonely climber walks a tightrope to where dreams are born and never die!" - Billy Thorpe, song: Edge of Madness, album: East of Eden's Gate

Weapons of choice:

Poser Pro 2012, SR2, Paintshop Pro 8