Quote - Rendering AO takes away from the realism, unfortunately.  Use it sparingly.  The lighting you use is 50% of the realism.  The rest is the polygon model itself and the material you've applied.

I say keep at it though.  Art is easy to do.  Just look at all the 5-star ratings people get here for a couple minutes effort.  Realism is a challenge that is for more rewarding.

Thank you for that. I didn't want to think that I was expending a lot of energy on nothing. To be quite honest, I am just trying to get past the look of a lot of the 3D rendered stuff I have seen out there  as far as animation. I am trying to animate a full-length movie that I am writing. So the results I am getting are close to what I want to achieve. I have a lot more to do before I am completely happy with it (are we ever happy with what we create???).

If I had a nickle for ever time a woman told me to get lost, I could buy Manhattan.