I understend what you are talking abouth, I am wery bad with pencile (I don`t know to draw wery nice), my father is greate Drawer, my brother went into Dessing school, and I am Photografer, I am cretiv soul and i have some kind of need to expres my self, 3ds was the first program i begin to learning in, tah my frend introduced me with MAYA and like you say " may never have a career in Character Modelling but I will be a closet modeller forever". BTW i have few frends who draw wery nice nad thay can help me with references. BTW anyone can draw, model yust what you need is patienc and time