The key to effective 3D rendering often lies in the careful utilization of high-detail textures and materials. http://biorust.com/index.php?page=tutorial_detail&tutid=73
In this tutorial you will learn how to make a UV map of an object you wish to texture using Blenders seams functionality. http://biorust.com/index.php?page=tutorial_detail&tutid=85
Its really very simple but, there are a couple of snags you might run into and I demonstrate how to resolve those issues. http://blendernewbies.blogspot.com/2007/08/video-basic-decaling-in-ble...
The fifth in a series of tutorials to help you learn now to use blender, a free 3D modeling program. You can visit nystic.com for more tutorials. http://youtube.com/watch?v=l8ZiywMyiBM