I've recentley started self-studying MAYA, and I will be learning by building up a COMPLETE REPLICA of 'Orthanc' tower. I'm just at the beginnig, and its slow learning prosses, but I'll be showing here the stages of building the tower as I go, so you'll be able to comment on it, before it is finished, and so I'll be able to take it into account throughout the building prosses.

This is really a preliminary stage, as I created so far just the very bottom of the tower, but after experimenting with different lightings & materials, I've already managed to take a very nice Rendered-Picture of my new project in MAYA.

This is what I've mannaged to create so far (3 days of work): pic