What would be some classic things that a new user definitely wants to learn to model?

A biped, humanoid character is one of them, i think.

Discuss...

For me it was organic, human, Aliens, animals, etc......
Fun Stuff!

Always wanted to create a human character, rigged and ready to animate. Not entirely life like, more along the lines of perhaps the Incredibles.

The kids nowaday seem to all be into warriors, fighters and weaponry. It disturbs me.

"Guns don't make stories, characters with guns make stories!"

I personally wanted to model the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 (and did, numerous times... in fact, it's almost time to remodel it yet again...)

If I recall correctly (it's been a long time) my initial desire moving into 3D was to make Background Sets for my character's stories; rooms full of computers, castles and dungeons, cityscapes with moving trains and monorails and scenes from distant planets in outer space. Working in 3D has largely cured me of the problems I had with drawing scenes in perspective and suggested better ways to approach staging of characters cinematically.

To a lesser extent I wanted to make Props and Vehicles so I wouldn't have to draw them in all of their various configurations. I don't recall specifically wanting to adapt my characters to 3D (that didn't seem reasonable at the time given the 2D comic book style of my characters) although I didn't discount that eventuality. I wanted the characters be seen as living in three dimensional environments and moving through 'real' space.

Added: This reminds me of my initial foray into rigging. Some of the first things I remember rigging weren't Characters but Props and Set pieces; sliding Doors, revolving Helicopter Blades and rolling barrels. I was trying to learn not necessarily how to animate but how to move things in 3D space.

If we are talking about strictly modeling (No bones or weights) then I too would have to go with humanoid characters.

I believe modeling is going to be my toughest nut to crack because I have never been able to draw well. I know what I like when I see it, but to sketch it is another story.

Any hints, tips, and tricks to modeling heads and faces, (I like the rotoscoping tool) and then bodies would be much appreciated. I do know there are several good face tuts out there already, and as soon as I make it through TAoAM, I'ma gonna start into those.

Beyond modeling, I'd love a good tut on making the face look photorealistic or just better with...what...decals? Whatever is used to put the finishing touches on a face.

I think thumperness has good ideas but i might add i think in general a very gradual work up to the humanoid character. There are a lot of practice shapes where one can be shown the proper splinemanship needed before one gets to do a human shape. Like really simple things to show good techniques. Especially when one has to break splines , or delete and hooks add geometry or take away. etc.

Rich

Humanoid character would definitely top the list, possibly followed by space ships.

I know myself, I wanted to be able to make 3D versions of my cartoon characters.