Random 3D Question that has Nothing to do with Field Prod.

So, I recently saw a review for the movie "Rango" and when watching clips from it, I randomly had the thought "how do animators make feathers on birds." I know some preliminary stuff about 3D and know, generally, how modelers make hair, but do they use as similar concept to make feathers or not? I mean, hair, though organized, can be made random within certain areas and parameters, but because feathers have a precise function, placement, and position on birds (not to mention that they don't bend easily), would using a generator similar to that of hair work? Not to mention that feathers have "hair" on them (I don't know the technical name). I don't know, only that it must have taken a bit of time to make.

Real object to 3D Model

We talked about objects in real world mapped to virtual world today. And while browsing I found this 2009 work by someone in University of Cambridge of a fast way to model your object and use the real object to interact with your virtual object..which can be whatever you want..with different textures. For people who want to see the video before the details: here's one on youtube. And here's : link to university for further reading.

My SFX Work

These are some sample scenes of film, special effects, miniature work and computer animation work I have done in the past few years.

Inspiring work

Detail from "The light of hope" by Deng Jiansi

Here are some sites that have tons of tutorials on every imaginable (well...) method of doing models, maps, lights etc. Of course the list is endless since the 3D community is so huge, but you have to start somewhere. Thanks to Nada for providing these links.
One thing that you will realize is that you must have a basic understanding of different techniques like box and spline-modeling, texturing tools etc. to fully understand some of the more advanced tutorials, however I think by now it would benefit you enormously to check them out if just to get inspired by the level of work being done worldwide and, I must say, by the generous sharing of ideas and techniques by so many great artists.

Links: http://www.3dtutorials.sk/
http://www.cgtutorials.com/

This is a spline modeling tutorial which is clear and simple. Angelina Jolie by Song, Hwasup.
Link to PDF file.