I am interested in creating my own skin and body textures.. how do I start? I have the maps for V3, but Is there a place or tutorial that can help me? Thanks

There are quite a few here (Tutorials above) and around the web (see the Web Ring on the side menu) as well as a two-product tutorial for sale in the MarketPlace. You have the UV templates for V3. Now you need a layer-based 2D graphics application. PaintShopPro and Photoshop come to mind. :) Then the real fun begins! Start with whatever tutorials you can find and get the hang of it. It is a very complicated process, especially making seams that don't show.

I think there are several FREE tutorials at RDNA. All the more they host a forum entirely dedicated to texture skinning. I'm sure Syyd or other members there can provide you lots of help and advice. :)

Sorta on the subject, does anyone know how the skin textures in the market place are usually done. I know how to make the textures, what I'm wondering is are they using photographs of models who volunteer (or get paid), stock pictures, stuff they swipe from porn sites, or do they typically painting their own from scratch?

Usually they are done either with photographed models, quality photo reference sets of the same type, or handpainted. God forbid if they use magazine scans or 'stuff they swipe from porn sites'. The former will never work due to the print process and the latter due to the image size. Both will fail due to inconsistent lighting, shadows, camera angles, and body positions/occlusions. Good quality photo references should be at least 2048 in one dimension (3.2 or better MegaPixel resolution, for instance) with intentional goals of removing shadows and specular highlights and getting somewhat orthographic shots of the subject.

well I was more trying to be humorous about the porn site thing anyhow. ;)