I use wings 3d now. Before that well I was no good at all. I think Divine Rain now uses Maya but did use wings before too. Wings is free and relativly easy to learn. It allows you to select edgeloops and cut and dissolve faces edges and the like. Important if you want to make good models.  Mostly it takes time patience and practice.

Also get somethign that fits in with yoru workmeathod.  I likebox modling and I am really bad at Nurbs so I stick with wings; rhino which is an excellent modeler is compleatly lost on me. So two good free modeler with compleatly different approaches Wings 3D is a boxmodeler and Moment of inspiration is a nurbs modeler try them both and decide which one you can get your head around first . Blender is a godo free choice but I fidn the interface daunting but it allows you to do another meathod which is useful edge extrusion.

The wit of a misplaced ex-patriot.
I cheated on my metaphysics exam by looking into the soul of the person next to me.