1. get a legal copy of maya ple / gmax / xsi mod tool / blender
2. just start with a simple lowpoly object (for example a bottle of beer)
3. texture this object
4. export it to a game you want to mod
5. try more complex models
serious: there is no way you must go. there are lots of ways you can choose. best one would be to just get a 3d software and try. search for tutorials on the net. there are dozens around. in the 2d art forum we have a collection of texturing tutorials. maybe those will help.
i for my self have a couple of tutorials on http://www.thomashess.net where i would recommend all tree tutorials (several videos + resources for practicing)
http://www.3dtutorials.sk , lots of tuts, some by me, good for beginners (based on the feedback I got from the readers.)
I recommend Blender because you can get it for free, it's OpenSource, runs on Linux and has a nice workflow (but, yeah, it's actually depending on the person, if he likes it or not :roll: ). Gmax is very limited and, uhm, unnecessary blocky. XSI Mod tool is the same. Maya and 3Ds Max are kinda cool, but a legal copy is very expensive. Though you can use a demo...
Anyhow, just try some programs and look which one fits best 
When you're ready to spend cash on books about animation, modelling or whatever, try this book (actually the only book I have) : http://i18.tinypic.com/2dsh7on.jpg
Yup, that's 340 pages of nothing reassembles pornography, but billions of letters and plenty of images on the topic Animation.
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