I think Carrara is a great choice for someone starting out in 3D modeling. I tried other 3D packages and could never get comfortable their interfaces. To me Carrara's interface is more intuitive than the other 3D modeling programs I've tried. I think Carrara's weakest point is it's manual. As AzChip says this Forum is a great resource. I've found everyone here to be helpful and friendly. If you want to try Carrara you can download a trail version of Carrara at Eovia web site.(http://www.eovia.com) Keith