3D Model Software

[science&creativity]

I'm trying to learn blender also because I like the idea of actually having 3-d worlds that I can virtually walk through. It's definitely a bit intimidating/overwhelming but also has a very active user community and a lot of tutorials available on-line. I don't know how much you've looked into that but this is a good starting point:
https://www.blender.org/support/

A lot of tutorials seem focused on modeling, so you should find plenty of learning tools. but yeah: there's a LOT to that program.

[Falconius]

@science&creativity I don't think you can go wrong learning Blender. For me what really made it possible to learn was Blender Guru's video tutorials on making a doughnut. I'm not sure if he's made a new beginner series but I think he's got one on making an anvil now, I haven't tried it though, and I know the doughnut one works. Unfortunately it's made for 2.79 and not 2.8, so it may not be as worthwhile anymore. Anyways how ever you choose to learn it I wish you, good learning.

[Tiana]

I'm trying to learn blender also because I like the idea of actually having 3-d worlds that I can virtually walk through.

I actually purchased World Creator (noooot a cheap one) for the purpose of building 3D worlds I can walk through, and doing mapping that will be useful for video games. It's wonderfully comprehensive for the purpose of creating navigable fantasy worlds. Of course now I need to learn to make my own assets, which means I have to face that daunting beast of Blender as well. o_o It definitely intimidates me in a way that World Creator does not–it's a procedural 3D program which I found remarkably intuitive and hopefully will be worth the cost plus upgrades I did to my computer to be able to run it properly.

It does seem to me that 3D is the way of the future. While I've successfully made a few buildings in SketchUp, learning Blender seems to be a necessity to advance down this skill tree.

Ultimately I do think learning SketchUp was worth it, I definitely have moments where I use SketchUp and moments of appreciation for work that was created in Sketchup. The skillset doesn't really seem to translate to more complex 3D modelling software, but it is a super useful program to mockup layouts and basic buildings ad then angle them appropriately for perspective references. The last time I opened SketchUp was to make a castle/palace floor layout, and it was excellent for the purpose, since I could not only get the top view, but also figure out what it would be like to be standing in certain areas and what you would see to reference for art.

But I'm at a point now where I want to be able to make much more "sculpted" objects. Unfortunately I tend to think of things in terms of traditional art, so I think of layering clay, not pulling at virtual points and math. I've heard Zbrush might work well for that purpose, for a more 'sculpting' feel to 3D production but I haven't tried it at this point. I'd love to try doing the 3D sculpting in virtual space in the future.

Ultimately I suppose no one can go too wrong with learning Blender, given it's free, and there's so many resources online to learn it, it's quite daunting though.

[Falconius]

But I'm at a point now where I want to be able to make much more "sculpted" objects. Unfortunately I tend to think of things in terms of traditional art, so I think of layering clay, not pulling at virtual points and math. I've heard Zbrush might work well for that purpose, for a more 'sculpting' feel to 3D production but I haven't tried it at this point. I'd love to try doing the 3D sculpting in virtual space in the future.

Blender actually improved its sculpting suite quite a bit in 2.8 from what I've heard. It was pretty workable in 2.79. Grant Abbit has many beginner videos, but I think he recently did quite a few with sculpting. Yan Sculpts uses Blender (I think exclusively) and he is very very good. I'm not sure if he has tutorials, or just timelapses and other sculpting related stuff. And of course, as I mentioned to the OP, there is always Blender Guru, who is just such a fantastic resource for learning.