Its good to start with basics or get back to basics, becasue even the pros do not have all teh basics down pat. The best pros are those who ahve super grasp of basics as if they live/breath it.
Ron lenman has a lovely simplified explanation of lighting, form and composition on his website as well. Give that a check out.
As for textures. Its all about self study.
Eg. Want to paint a rock texture. Do studies of rocks. Paint rocks. Draw rocks. Learn that they can have prallel flat surfaces, uneven surfaces, pock marks, different grain. Paint paint paint and study.
There isnt anything special about textures other than basics. Good solid basics of form. Lighting is universal for a texture. i.e Shouldnt be too dark or too light. just neutral
You then have specific texturing to a model (vehicle, character) or repeating textures.(eg. floor tiles, grass,etc with limited poly.shader/budget count)
Application of textures onto a UVmap onto a Model, is a whole different ballgame.
UVmapping is key to producing a good render from your texture. And is as dry as left over pancakes left out on the surface of the moon, baked in solar radiation to 400 K.
Otherwise, texturing is great mindless (mindles because you can just zone in and make it look good with organised random scribbles and form) and the results satisfying when remapped onto a model
koshime.com
