Oh any suggestions ><;;

I mean I basically really need help with I think even the basic concepts. I was hoping they really don’t change from modeling program to modeling program ><; .

Here a recent example of what I mean by missing basic concepts:
I have been teaching myself by using other people models. The most recent one was of a Common Karp from
http://toucan.web.infoseek.co.jp/3DCG/3ds/aquarium/Koi.zip. I figured out how to apply the the basic textures for the fishes body; however, I could figure out how to the same thing for the without the scales be positioned oddly. If you look very very closely at little feedback picture I did (http://n30sh4d0w.deviantart.com/#/d2r621z), the fins in the image unlike the body, have no scales.
My basic question is How do you texture 3d models when you need to preserve the small details like a fishes fin an the object has to be at a specific rotation?

Also a friend of mine suggested that I should put the fin’s texture on a planel/plane as a partial transparency. I tried to do what he said with Saturn rings; however, I ended up just getting a lot what looked like holes in the object. Do you know what he was talking about or have any suggestions/comments?

I have to be honest this was on of the threads that really attracted me to this site. I really like some of the designs you guys like the Miner fighter above, so I wanted to show my appreciation for your guys work.

Hey everyone…dusky here… I been playing on the Discovery Freelancer PTC Server for a few months now when stumble on this site, recently. Having never taken a class in 3d modeling, I am kind of an amateur to this whole modeling thing, as you can see from my webpage below.

Therefore I was hoping to come her to get some tips, advice… and once in a blue moon… maybe an exemplary small free 300 polygon mesh or two… ><;

Did I come to right place?

http://n30sh4d0w.deviantart.com/ <— where I put my practice works ^^;