I have decided to attempt to broaden my artistic horizons. As a starting point, I have chosen a goal to start working toward. I would like to be able to do my own deck plans for star ships. This sounds simple, but its really more complex than it appears.

What program(s) does one use to do this? Once I acquire said software, I then must learn to use it, which might lead to other artistic efforts in and of itself. I then need to learn how to draw the outside of the ship so that it looks like the ship in question. I then need to draw a proportionate inside area of said ship. I then must make designs for different features; bunks, control panels, etc. From there, different sets for different genre; after all, the inside of the Serenity looks different than the inside of the Enterprise. I think this will be an interesting quest, regardless of the results.

Suggestions on where to start?