So I’m on my second month of learning Blender, and I feel a little misguided and lost when it comes to modeling because I can’t get the hang of it.
I was told that I’m going to learn AutoCAD when I come back to high school this year, and I was told that there will be plenty of work with NURBS curves.
Does anyone know if any fore-knowledge of a CAD software contributes to the modeling skills of Blender?
I just want to start a little discussion about this. Thanks
Modeling in Blender and AutoCAD is different. Blender NURBS modeling is very limited (almost useless) but it uses Mesh modeling which needs different aproach. The AutoCAD that I use doesn’t have meny modelling tools and people usually use it for drafting and not modeling. But you probably use a different version. The UI also has only very little in common. But it is good for you to know as many different programs as possible. Don’t be afraid to learn them both. And many other as well…
Any type of program you learn should help you with next here.
The approach to modeling tends to be appropriate to a given application and skill set. For artists Blenders approach is pretty good as it essentially simulates physical mediums… not as much with the extrusion modeling as with the proportional editing but there are similarities.
With CAD the approach is going to be geared at those with more of an engineering background and the interface would be designed to accommodate that skill set. Also the ceiling of CAD software tends to be pretty high s it’s not likely to be used for projects like feature films that require resource budgeting.
There are a lot of reasons why they are different however the bare bones of the software is based in virtual renderings of physical objects. You could gain an understanding of that aspect of the software from either. I would say that the deeper understanding of the 3D workspace would be good no matter where you get it. The comparing and contrasting information that you would acquire by using both could prove to be useful as well.
Both approaches would have workflows that might bring about ideas for possible solutions in specific instances with the other. <-- That sounds like double talk. 
I hope my previous comments made it clear.
AutoCad helped me understand how to model 3d near the end, however one thing that autocad and blender offer is a way to visulize a thought,
Designing a working thing, in 3d space, can be handy.
However, autocad, that I used, was 10 years ago…
It may be much more 4d then it used to be, and less crashy.
It used to be murder to anmate with, and crash when doing any sort of high poly.
Just go learn 3ds Max or Maya instead of Autocad. I use both 3ds Max and Blender and they are almost similar when it comes to modelling and animation.
interesting thoughts. thank you everyone
CAD is designed to describe things that will actually exist … that will actually be fashioned, that will undergo actual stresses, and that might be created using computer-controlled fabricating machinery.
3D-artistic tools are designed to create two-dimensional images (usually …), doing so in 3D terms but not necessarily tied to physical reality. (In fact, “physical unreality” is sometimes a requirement: it just has to “look” good.)
I think that it’s terrific that your high school(!) is offering courses in CAD, and I would jump at the chance to take those courses. You never know how the point-of-view and approach that’s necessary in CAD work will come in handy with your modeling. You also never know when you’ll need to feature a “real” object in your 3D-artistry work. Whether or not the knowledge and techniques are “directly” comparable, I wouldn’t pass-up that opportunity.
autocad (for buildings) you will draw a plan(2d) and extrude to 3d-similar workflow is possible with blender.w.r.t nurbs in autocad you can create a surface blending two curves (e.g. boat sail)-in blender similar form can be achieved in a different way - poly modelling,subsurf,bend with curve etc…if you want to make organic forms(human,cartoon) you have to learn poly modelling(blender).