This tutorial is posted with the permission of the author, Garland Hopkins and is copyrighted by him. I have posted it on his behalf due to his limited web space. Hope you enjoy it, and many thanks to Garland for allowing this to be re-released for those on the MetaCreations KPT  List. Happy rendering to all!

Tharkun

For this image I begin with a Frax4d render for the background.

I then add a transparent layer.

Going back to the Frax4D module, I click a memory to save the lighting.

Then I look for a preset to compliment the background.

I activate the memory dot to insure the new layer has the same lighting as the first.

Layer as it looks after application.

I then select Free Transform from the Menu, beneath Layers.

After using the free transform tool to re-size and position the top layer, it looks like this.

I add new layer.

I select a wing-like flame for the next layer.

I move this rendered layer between the first two layers.

After using Free Transform to size and position the wing I duplicate the layer and flip one layer horizontally.

At this point I decide to soften the background with KPT noise.

With the wings positioned and the texture added, I erase portions of the layers to enhance the shapes.

To add complexity to the background, I use a FraxFlame with a transparent blend.

Which gives this result.

Feeling I need to add something, I choose a flame to render into the next layer. The one to the left of the selection. The image thus far is seen below. Now it is ready for painting??