Just started blendering, but I’m very much a total newbie when it comes to creating my own artwork. I dunno, but can anyone please help me out? I’d really appreciate it, thanks! 
That’s not what I mean. I can pretty much follow the tutorials, but the problem I’m having is putting MY ideas into a reality without making some sort of horrendous, deformed monster that resembles a pile of crap and Frankstein at the same time.
I used to have the same problem. What I did is made real stuff and altered them and added stuff to them not sure if this helps
Do some modeling tutorials. Once you’ve completed them and learned the basic modeling concepts begin applying these to your own ideas. Make it simple at first then challenge yourself to do more.
Many of the things that make a model seem realistic or “good” are small touches that are added later. Lighting, for example, makes a tremendous amount of difference in a scene, but it might be one of the last things to be refined. Until then, “it looks like crap” but it’s not finished yet.
Also, as you make changes try to take a fairly broad brushed approach. It’s very easy to fixate on details that the viewer will never see. Get the big picture roughly-right first, then try to prioritize what works and what doesn’t; what deserves to be worked-on first and what doesn’t.
Keep lots of in-progress files, lots of versions of the work. Don’t throw stuff away. Just make a PureCrap folder… 
RayClovis, everyone who posted is spot on in what they said. What wasn’t said is single person created 3D consists of modelling, texturing, lighting (oh, how important lighting is (and confusing)), scene composition, camera technique knowledge, ‘story telling with an image’, and for animation understanding timing. Among other things. Modeling is usually the first stumbling block since you need a model for either a scene or animation and from personal experience can stop an idea in it’s tracks because the model just won’t be what it should be. Forget about the models for now, just create the Frankenstein crap and move on to the texturing, composition and other stuff. Everyone tends to excell in at least one specific area, or if not excell at least enjoy and be compitant with it which allows a person to realize, yea I really suck doing this, it takes forever to do what someone else can do in an hour but this other stuff is a peice of cake.
You have an idea, don’t let modelling stop it, create your idea all the way through then you know what your strong points are and what you really need work on.
Just my hypicritical opinion though (modelling is a pain in the arse).
Hey, I remember when I first used 3d software way back when. I was already an artist formerly so I already knew want I would model and render once I had learned to use my 3d software.
Art is about feelings, dreams and imagination. Do you like music? Do you play a musical instrument? If you do, that is art.
You may play someone else’s songs when play an instrument. But if you ever tried to write your own tunes or just play out what you feel that is creative art.
3d art works the same way. You can use preexisting images as guides when you make a scene or you can use your own hand drawings and ideas to make CG art.
Learning CG art software works just like learning to play a musical instrument. You have to learn how to operate the basic functions of your software. You do this by reading the manual and doing some basic tutorials. Then you look at other CG artist work and examine your own drawings to see how you may want to proceed on to your next step.
Now it’s time to start your first project. This may be modeling something from an image reference or using your own drawings or ideas. It’s easier to start with an image reference.
You practice and get down a pattern of workflow that you like and you learn everything that you need to know to complete your first project. This may involve learning complex things like lighting, proportion, color theory, staging, motion physics, uv mapping, 2d texturing, advanced rendering, edgeloop modeling, material editing, 3d project management, file management, animation key framing, scanline rendering tricks, video editing and compositing, 2d image editing and compositing, image print output options, video output requirements for film, etc, and more.
After all this you will be ready to produce anything that you can dream up.
And if you come across any other 3d or 2d apps that you want to use in your productions you will only have to start the first part of this process over. You can begin by reading the manual and doing a few tutorials.
You are a 3d pro at this point so everything that you already know you just do with this new software.
That’s it! Notice that I didn’t mention talent and all that jazz like some folks do. Some people have a talent of twisting cherry stems with their tongue or getting out of handcuffs while submerged under 100 ft. of water in a 36 in square plastic cube. Computer art is more about practical function than talent. If you can function as a CG artist putting out photo real renders of useful designs or concepts from your imagination that can be used to promote someone’s product, etc. you will have what you need to make it as a CG artist.
For most folks who aim to do 3d professionally your ability to serve up CG for a client is what counts. Lizard men and girls in bikini’s may look cool and show off your unique talents but there’s not this big market out there of clients beating down doors for that kind of stuff.
Hey most Blender users just model and render for fun so none of that boring “client” stuff should bother you anyway. By all means bring on the lizard guys and the cute CG gals. I like looking at that sort of stuff it’s so cool to see.
Blend on!
Even though art pretty much can be defined by “everything” there’s
still something that must be mastered before one have “total” control
over the tools used to create “art” with:
and that is…Craftmanship!
Yes…good ol’ craftmanship…that means hard work, learning how
to create good…no…GREAT curves and lines that form shapes
that makes sense to you and others. In other words…controlling
your medium.
A good place to start is with a bunch of clay…or a pencil and a lot
of paper.
Personally I’ve spent years on learning how to draw just to make
my 3d work better…and that paid off. Clay helps too…it’s important
to get a “feel” for how things work…that will help you in your
mental visualization and will be of great use when you prepare
for your next project/work you want to do in eg. Blender or any
other tool.
Take a look at things around you…
- What’s the difference between ridgid and soft?
- What makes shapes so appealing (to you)?
- Feel the surfaces around you…soft cloth…hard glass, round or square objects etc.
- Feel the human skin…take a look at it in dim lights or with the sun.
- Try to recreate SIMPLE objects such as an apple or a ball in 3d or draw it.
- Try to make your simple objects as realistic as you can …and retry it tomorrow.
- Then create something fun…fail at it and learn…do it again…
- do the “realistic apple” again…and again…
- Do fantasy again…better now? I bet you can control your tool better
after these simple but painstakingly slow…but teaching…practices.
Observe…be patient…create!
/JoOngle
JoOngle you said it right.
It’s all about craftsmanship when it’s all said and done. When you can add expertise and method to a project it shines above and beyond other projects. The level of an artist refinement and attention to detail is what makes one a great artist.
Some people model objects in a simple manner for pure function. With a little more effort these same objects can change form again with added detail. For most everyday art one can get by with cleverly arranged objects of low detail.
But one “object” of very high detail that takes weeks to model, texture, rig and animate can become a center point of attention. Then it is quite easy to use simple photo backdrops or just a ground plane and a sky map. When the goal is to get the maximum attention for your 3d work you have to use highly detail elements. It is worth it to model a character or a building with crazy amounts of detail from time to time. This work can become your signature artwork that acts as your main representation of work.
Then you can model a lot of simple stuff as filler elements that make up the bulk of your work. Models like of trees and flowers, etc. Hehehe.
I’m serious here.
Blend on!
everyone starts like that so dont wory… if u hav followed some basic tutorials, u must know extrude, bevel etc. hav u tried the 30+30 minutes Gus tutorial? thats excellent.
After that, try to model real world simple objects. You simply cant create a perfect human body or any other organic model that early in your jouney…
pick up a ‘pencil’ and try to make a pencil similar to that in blender. After that move up and make a pen in blender… after that make a TV remote… etc… this will make you feel more confident and will soon be doing cool work…
dude… y didnt you ask: “hey how do I brush my teeth?”. everyone in here has a slightly diffrent way. you’ll get along if you want to… it took some time until I realized; asking around in forums helps me out… but prime is blendering.
so you’ll have enough time browsing the forums on pcs that have no blender installed… and you’re gonna be dithering cuz you wanna blender. that’s the way its gonna be. I rarely browse the forums at home… there I got my little baby I can blender with.
btw: ironically… Im at home now