Having a background in art will make it easier, as these 3d programs are just tools, like brush and canvas, to create your image. But talent is not prerequiste for creating with 3d software, it would only be the difference between a truely moving image, or an ordinary image.... Some artist's use the 3d app for the basics in composiion texturing, and lighting and then take that render into a paint program to refine it, examples would be Hobbit, Rochr, and others. A good toolbox would contain, a landscape generator(Bryce, Vue, Terragen or Mojoworld), people software(Poser), and a modeling app(Amapi, Wings3D, Amorphium), and a mapping app(UV Mapper, Lithunwrap, etc) for precise texturing, this will allow you the most freedom from imports.

Bryce Forum Coordinator....

Vision is the Art of seeing things invisible...