Thanks Chris.
IceQueen, thanks.

Warning, possible useless babble fallows..
I checked out the instructions about paintFX and there just the ticket.. about the detail. First I would like to say I very much respect your opinion. Seeing as your in TVproduction. I would love to be getting paid for something.. LOL but this is why I'm going to state all this.. because you would know if I'm out on a limb with it.. I'm fighting a three way battle hear.. 1. I'm prone to dabbling with projectionist little tweaks.. (not good in the long run) 2. I do try to keep down on the level of detail.. doesn’t always work.. 3. and three .. well I'm going some on the concept of subpixilation. Like the difference between camcorder video and film. Even after adjusting the contrast, color, and frame rate of video it still doesn’t quiet have that film feel to it.. because of the film grain. People don't notice it much at all unless its a really bad grainy seen in the film. but I know its film because something in the back of there mind says its film.. subconsciously we see the grain that is there.
So buy doing some details that you would think doesn’t really appear much or matter, I'm hoping in the end the fact that they are nearly imperceptibly mixed will help with the realism feel. Or at least quality..
am I making any sense hear or is it one of my hair brained ideas.. ?
also I'm not sure where that line is where I'm helping the subpixilation or I'm wasting my time with to much detail.
one more little thing.. I really don't know how to paint the texture lower res and have it look convincing.. I am finding it easier to understand and express how it should look if I'm down there twiddling with the hairs.. which can be a pain.

I give long responses don't I ?? hope you all don't mind reading them.