how about something like this - you could add a texture to the red layer (dots at the top ?), the orange (lines in middle), the red (shapes at the bottom) and blue could be all three ?

Mr Grendel is not only faster but has a better idea ! :)

Something like this?
Brian

I think a more appropriate file?
Brian

How about using 3d?

Or a 100 times closeup.

Thanks to everybody for their suggestions and models. The kind of thing I am gravitating towards is the most recent one from BurrMan, whereby I show the roll and use the closeup to give the detail.

Cheers
Dan

Hey Dan, After sleeping on it i thought I should have added the originall helix roll "way in the back" with a long tail leading up to it, so it appeared to be unrolled from a distance. More to the effect. :o

Extrude the body out:



Select solid and perform a second click for drill down face selection to select front face.



From front view select crossing lines and trim.



Drill down face selection and extrude using "set dir" button.