3D Tools ain't generally cheap.
Generally you would sculpt details that would later become a normal map for a base mesh. With something like ZBrush you can generate your low poly base mesh and convert the details to a normal map. What you'll be looking for in your models is to have a low/mid poly base mesh with a texture map and a normal map to simulate the high details of your high polygon mesh.
There are programs that offer sculpting, I know Hexagon 2 has a sculpter, which is okay, iirc it exports greyscale bump maps, which can be converted to normal maps if you've got the tools to do it. Hexagon 2 is still free and you can model your base mesh in there too. I used to have stability problems with it and I don't get a great performance on my Intel GMA card, but then it's a GMA
, however, these days it's pretty stable.
http://www.daz3d.com/products/hexagon/hexagon-what-is-hexagon
So you can model, sculpt UV map and texture all in the same editor. I can write up a tutorial to explain how to do it. I've already got a tutorial on how to create your first textured 3D model in Hexagon,
here. So I can write up and show you the sculting tools.
If you're willing to pay money, there is
Silo 2, which follows the same principle as Hexagon, but in my opinion it's a far superior tool and has more features (for example, it has a retoplogy tool)
If you're not quite willing to go as far as ZBrush's hefty price tag, there's also
3D Coat, which I think is a pretty cool tool, not as great as ZBrush, but exists as a cheaper alternative.
I will post up my Hexagon 2 scultping tut once it's done.
