I'm new to texturing and modeling and have just modeled my first polygonal character. I've moved onto planar mapping it in different sections now, however I have a question (or two..). Once you planar map the different sections of the body, do you need to sew the bits together (as with the automatic uv mapping technique too) in the texture editor 'before' transferring the UV snapshot to Photoshop? I started texturing the different maps in Photoshop,but then realised (after a few hours..) that maybe I needed to have sewn the pieces together beforehand in the texture editor? Or do you sew the pieces back together after the texturing is done or will that just distort everything?

Also the other thing I'm struggling with a bit, is getting rid of the seams that appear when I apply the texture to the model. I created a base colour (green) on one layer in photoshop, then on another layer I started say, painting in details for say, the torso. When you get to the inside edges of the uv map, do you hold off the detailing/painting and let the underlying base colour (green) take over? How far in from the edge do you know where to stop as that's where I'm having a real problem. For some reason, I'm still getting a seam, or something that looks like a texture all around the body until it reaches the back of the torso and I get the green colour but it doesn't look convincing. Is it to do with blending the colours together well to meet a neutral same colour between the 2 edges?

Thanks in advance,