Resources

The most important thing for anyone who wants to get into CG art or animation is instruction in traditional techniques. Whether you're animating a character with a pencil or a PC the same fundamental principles apply. You can learn any software you want, but without a solid foundation in art and film your work will not rise above mediocrity. Once you have some traditional art skill making the transition to CG art will be easier than if you were trying to learn CG and art at the same time. This doesn't mean that you need a college degree to get a job in the CG industry (though it is a good idea in general) and it doesn't mean you have to be able to draw well (though it helps). Try to find some extension courses through a local university or community college. I would especially recommend life-drawing, photography, painting, film and art history, acting, and of course 2D and 3D animation classes. You can find listings of schools with animation courses here. You may also want to consider AnimationMentor.com, a new online animation school taught exclusively by working professionals such as myself.

There are also plenty of good books and internet resources to help you learn on your own, if need be. I have compiled a list of books and links that I think will be helpful, as well as selected some web sites by other artists and studios that I find to be inspirational.

As for software, you'll need a 3D program that has the right kind of tools for character animation, such as bones, inverse kinematics, weighted morphing, and animateable constraints. Such programs include Animation: Master, 3D Studio Max, Maya, and SoftImage. Note that, with the exception of Animation: Master, most of these packages will cost in the thousands of dollars. If your budget is REALLY limited you may be able to find some freeware and shareware 3D applications on the web. There is also a free version of Maya called the "Personal Learning Edition" which is fully-featured but watermarks all rendered images.

If you are interested in animation purely as a hobby then it doesn't matter what package you use, as long as it has the necessary tools. If you plan on trying to get a job in animation then you may wish to learn a package that is widely used in your prospective industry. Many film animation studios use Maya and SoftImage. Pixar, on the other hand, uses it's own proprietary software so if you apply for work there it doesn't matter what software you know. Maya and SoftImage are also popular in the broadcast animation industry, as are Lightwave and 3D Studio Max. In the video game development industry, 3D Studio Max is the current favorite, though Maya is popular as well.

Pixar's recruiting page has some more useful information.

Like any other discipline, practice is the key to success. Experiment and create as much work as you can and seek sources of constructive feedback to help your learning process. Here are some online forums where you can display your work for critique (you will have to register for a free account):

CG Talk forums
CG Chat forums
CG-Char

Finally, remember that the computer is only a tool, like any other tool at the artist's disposal. You can buy software that has lots of bells and whistles and gadgets, but it will ultimately come down to your skill and experience as an artist to make compelling animation or art. Animation is very hard work, but it's extremely rewarding and a lot of fun.

Again, be sure to check out the 3D Career section of my Resources page.

Good luck!