As Michael suggests.
(In Carrara 7 Pro)
Brian

3D apps (like Carrara) are just a great combination with MoI.
Brian

Thanks. I want the ability to place bricks for arches, also bricks offset outwards in a design, offset inwards, and other victorian brickwork features, so I think actual modeling is what I need. I have seen how tracing over a design reference in modo, for example, could allow me to do a push/pull method and everything else. But, I'm really liking the way MoI "looks", the crispness of the vector lines and shading. I know I will be using it in some way.

It's occurred to me just now how a program such as MoI could make brick walls. Make a grid of tubes in the pattern of the mortar then boolean that inset just partly from a slab and there you've got the grid of mortar and also the raised bricks.

If of interest and value.
The problem of modelling detailed design aspects--in any modelling app, including the brilliant Modo---is the huge sized files that can result.
Often making rendering times a nightmare.

Though I agree some basic modeling shaping of areas in MoI is very beneficial.

In Carrara, apart from using the images I have exampled before, we have the brilliant Shader plugin Veloute2 of which an example is attached.

I am sure you can attain similar results--as shaders--in Modo.

Keep the idea of the potential options in mind.
Brian