@jaynep...I have Esprit, too, and go to geekatplay for almost all of my tutorial needs..here are some great tutorials from there that specifically pertain to what it sounds like you're wanting to do ;

http://www.geekatplay.com/tutorials/backdrop/

60. Backdrop for your web projects.05/15/2008 Vue 6
     Creating outstanding backdrop for you web interfaces:
    •Large size of terrain with realistic ecosystem.
    •Using Building Construction Kit and Mega Packs.
    •Set up lighting and small post production adjustment.
    http://www.geekatplay.com/tutorials2.php

http://www.geekatplay.com/tutorials1.php

7. Distribution of materials. Vue 6 and Vue 5
    If you're mixing up the snow and the rocks and the trees and the grass, it can get hard to see what is going on in that preview pain. In this tutorial, we demonstrate an easy way to set up a complex distribution of materials.
   http://www.geekatplay.com/tutorials/dm/

http://www.geekatplay.com/tutorials4.php

122. Painting materials with Vue 7.4.5/13/2009 Vue 7
      •Looking at new addition in Vue 7.4.
     •Painting materials over terrain.
     •How does painting works
     http://www.geekatplay.com/flvplayer/player.php?pathinfo=materialspainting

http://www.geekatplay.com/tutorials6.php

193. Glowing puddles, part two
      •Creating terrain.
     •Function editor adjustments
     •Dependecy

http://www.geekatplay.com/tutorials6.php

194. Glowing puddles, part three
      •Applying materials.
     •Function driving material placement
     •Material layers

http://www.geekatplay.com/vue9/
Introduction to Vue 9, Terrain brushes. []
 •Setting up terrain brushes, managing brushes, and creating terrain with custom brushes.

http://www.geekatplay.com/flvplayer/player_full.php?pathinfo=http://www.vcode.com/tutorialsvue9/brushes.mp4
http://www.geekatplay.com/vue9/
Introduction to Vue 9, Material editor overview. []
 •New interface, advance vs. basic, and expand with function editor

http://www.geekatplay.com/functioneditor/index.php
Function Editor 7- Image maps nodes [15:19]
 •Image maps nodes and controlling transparency in map nodes.

http://www.geekatplay.com/materials/
41 Material and Ecosystem painting [14:32]
 •Exporting painting map, creating multilayer painting, global vs local ecosystem painting tool, and those things in ecosystems