where do I start?
 

Hi all

I have just decided to take the jump and get started in 3D graphics.
I got some books, read a few threads on this forum...
But I feel like a kid in a sweet shop, there is so much, I don't know where to begin.

I have the following software, Maya 8.5, Lightwave 9 & Blender (although I think I'll drop blender for now).

I am running these packages on Mac's, this is also what has dictated my choice of 3D packages, I use Mac's due to the fact I am Photographer, and I was looking for something to spice up work, you know real subject CG background, that sort of thing.

But when I started to look in to it, felt I opened Pandora's Box and fell in!
I am hooked, so any suggestions will be very gratefully received.

Cheers

Chris

I am not sure what level you are regarding Maya but if you are just starting out I would suggest working through all the tutorials in the help files ( F1) and this should give you a basic grasp of the interface, also there are some free beginners tutorial here for downlown.
With regards to where you go from there well it really depends on what you want to achieve with Maya in the sense that i mean do you want to animate or do you want to just create a still shot to composite in your photography ? or are you intrested in dynamics ect ?
Learning to model and texture in Maya I would say would be your first step but as for more advanced operations, once you have decided where you are going with Maya you will then know what else you might want to learn i.e rigging ect.

Hope this helps a little.

regards J.S.

Thanks for the suggestion will start there, don't really know where I want to go with Maya yet, but looking forward to finding out where it's going to take me.

I really appreciate the help, thanks again

Cheers

Chris