Originally posted by: yobarman
i'm a computer animation major and the majority of work done in class is with Maya. It's an excellent, complete package, and it definately has a steep learning curve. There are so many aspects of the program that require in-depth learning. First you must learn how to model, then set up shaders, rendering, mel scripts, aniamtion etc etc. This program has everything, but it is definately for the hardcore 3d graphics enthusiast.
But once you get the hang of it, and once you start making some amazing artwork,
like some of these people over at cgtalk.com, you'll be glad you did. If you're trying to get into the 3d business, then Maya is a good place to start because it is used a lot in the industry. But the main thing is to learn different 3d theories like how to animate and what not, because it's always changing and a new program could be out before you know it.
another tutorial site