Thanks orbital for taking the time - the tutorials are excellent - I do have photoshop and a tablet but Im still a noob to that as well.  See I was a musician most of my life - but retired from the game now - and the last two or three years I have gotten seriously interested in CGI.  I have Bryce Vue and Photoshop and a good deal of time these days to grow and develop in me old age!

Thank you to TheBryster and also to 104 - you are both really helpful here - I have DAZ Studio also and didnt know that I could do this...still a noob....but now a noob with some different and valuable approaches.  Thanks again.

Thanks everyone - this is great!

great idea too - brilliant - fonts are limited in elefont I notice - thanks

Thankyou for your input here.  I guess I will try both approaches

Im so sorry - half asleep and posted this in the wrong place.  I will try and move it.

sculptris is a gas. also trying out zbrush.  thanks all.

Just brilliant 104 - thanks for taking the time here and much appreciated.  btw - Out of Step is a marvellous piece - congratulations on this one.  Not just for your technical expertise - but for the ambience and the emotion conveyed. 

Thankyou both so much for this - metal is a good idea - and why didnt I think of it?

Thank you so much - all of you guys (and girls) are amazing.  Your tips and advice are really appreciated here.  I was a musician for most of my life - but have virtually retired now - and I am really enjoying this world of 3D imaging.  I have been experimenting with wings and thinking of downloading a trial of zbrush to try that approach also.
I am also trying to use metaballs to see what I can come up with there. 
Thank you everyone for the links too - I guess I will try a bit of everything in a sense - and see what fits the best.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions here - I will try a couple of the freebies first before I shell out for anything.  Thanks again.