Great! Someone else who hates black as an ambiant color. It is great for animating "shooters" in dark corridors (where it covers up all ::cough:: of the corners of the polygons), but ghastley for representing anything alive. I use a dark mauve for skin's ambiant, changing the numbers slightly depending upon the scene and the rest of the lighting. My settings are a bit darker than yours, but not by that much. My "white's" are not white, either. :) I prefer a stronger, more directional light source if the piece is dramatic, but we need these soft lights, too. Creating a series of images is just like planting a perennial bed. If they are all bright and brazon, they will jar. With variety and subtlety, they will all stand out and be appreciated. Nice work up there! Carolly