Thing is age isn't quite so bad. I mean when you are my age you have had a lot of time sub consciously watching,observing and recording things in your head, and you know instinctively when something is right. I used to to weight-kifting in my early years and studying allthe muscle groups helps tremendously with anatomy.

I also feel that having the ability to draw and being artistic helps tremendously for modelling, texturing and animating - if don't have this ability then it doesn't help unless you want to do lighting, rendering, scripting and being a technical director. TD's I think are usually both artistic and technical so it's a hard discipline.

Now for the book list that was recomended to me at the DAW: The illusion of life and The animator's survival handbook - these are not computer based. Computer ones are: Digital Character Animation 1&2, Digital Texturing and Painting, Digital Lighting and Rendering these are but a few I could go on.

Anyway, whilst prowling arund Otakar's the other day I discovered a new range of books dedicated to Maya: Inspired 3D Character Animation, Inspired 3D Character Setup, Inspired 3D Modelling and Texture Mapping all published by me... No! not really - but I nearly had ya going - Premiere Press. On first flick through they all seem more suited to intermediates wanting no know a little more but not pure beginners. There you go another useful tip from Mr Mataz.