HERE ARE SOME TUTORIALS TO CONSIDER..

(some are free, some are farely inexpensive from both SM and DT)

They teach proper work flow for modeling (to help make clean topology), and teach the basics of UV layout.

modeling
////////////

https://www.simplymaya.com/movie_page...d=87 .... free - cartoon dog
https://www.simplymaya.com/movie_page...tml?tut_id=138 .... free - human form
https://www.simplymaya.com/movie_page...tml?tut_id=144 ..... 24 points - Dragon
https://www.digitaltutors.com/store/p...&cat=39&page=1 .... $56 - subd-modeling workflow - dinosaur

texturing
///////////

https://www.simplymaya.com/movie_page...tml?tut_id=145 ..... 28 points - Dragon
https://www.digitaltutors.com/store/p...productid=3536 ... $56 - UV mapping workflow - dinosaur

modeling and texturing
/////////////////////////////

https://www.simplymaya.com/movie_page...tml?tut_id=139 ..... 30 points - Hippo


notes -

(1) The Hippo tutorial seems like it would be nice as it covers organic modeling, UV layout, and Texture Painting, and 30 points is around $59
(2) The dragon and dinosaur modeling tutorials are good for the project your are working on because they give a nice work flow for creating a taloned foot, which your reference images have but your model does not.