Where to start with textures, materials etc?

The title pretty much says it all. I’d like to know more about creating textures and materials. I’ve heard all of the terminology such as specular maps… bump maps… displacement and things… I’d just like to know where people start learning about this stuff? I think I’d enjoy doing textures and wondering if there’s a particular resource everyone seems to use when they’re starting out in this field?

Cheers!

Polycount is a place you’ll always find yourself getting pulled back to in any search you may do on Game Art development…if your new to the subject you’ve got a day or reading ahead of you but you’ll find it more engaging to practice the thing you’re learning at the time…You’ll remember more of it that way too…

http://wiki.polycount.com/Polycount - This is a great resource…

that & lots of Google searches …take it day by day you’ll be a pro in no time…