I think you should look around first, There are mags with 3D apps for free, Older versions but a damn good start. That way you see which you feel most comfortable with. I use Bryce and Lightwave 7 to come up with what I want, you can also get Maya personal learning edition for free! Heres the link for maya http://www.aliaswavefront.com/en/products/maya/ple/index.shtml Hope this helps you :)