Add a paint layer on top of your stack of normal layers, set its blendmode to passthrough. Add an anchor point to that, and use that inside whatever generators you're using.
I'd use an opaque material with an inverted fresnel effect for the glow, you could use a mask on top of it to add in wires, overlaps, and wrinkles on top of it.
And to add to this thread myself, I really enjoyed this thorough breakdown by Jared Sobotta on some of the rocks/cliffs from The Last of Us: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/4965R1
I know right ?! Add on top of this that a propeller is actually an airfoil, but twisted so it makes a "screwdriver" shape in order to "scoop" the air and create thrust. Thanks for feedback ! :)