JPALuck,

I don't have it yet, the 4-axis CNC I mean, but if I can find a relatively easy way to create the element of detail I want, I'll definitely build one.

One approach amoung many I considered, is heighmapping but the results I've seen so far where not quite satisfying. I think one of the main reason are the jagged lines, curves and basically everything else you have to live with in "paint" type program but investigating brush type programs like Michael and others suggested gave me this idea that these displaced mesh could be "easily" cleaned up (and much more I'd believe) with those kind of programs. There is also the route of heightmapping via ZSurf with could provide NURBS surfaces that could serve as building block to create pretty good raw object directly in MOI and then refine them in Sculptris or ZBrush type programs. I say all this because I'm fairly confortable with paint program like Gimp or Photoshop. I'll give this idea a good trial and maybe this will work for me.

The main reason I'm reluctant in using new programs is that I intend to build the real thing and that take me a lot of time. I know that by the time I will start a new project I'll have forgotten most of what I've learned with these new programs. But if, I stick with the ones I learned a long time ago, the effort is much less demanding. I'll even have to find time to play with Moi as often as possible otherwise my effort with it will be lost as well. I spent at least 6 month using Sketchup last year and I tried to use it lately, it's almost as if I never saw it before, I simply didn't remember any shortcuts, it's scary. Getting old is no fun at all.

Thanks,
Felix