That said, up until this semester (funding issues), I developed and taught a 4 course series in 3d computer modeling here at the U of I. The focus of the course was concepts and techniques in modeling ...

Blender is often a go-to choice for 3D design and animation. While you can do more with Blender, such as create 3D models to print using 3D printers, it is ultimately the best 3D motion graphics tool.