These are some of free softwares.......I am citing the easiest and best only after reading lots of reviews.....

1. For landscapes....

Bryce 5.5 (available at download.com, you will get free serial at daz3d.com by registering there)

2. For 3D modelling....

Wings 3D

3. For chracter animation

Daz3D

4. All in one

Blender... but you will have to really learn it. Its not easier than max or maya. One of the toughest... So first try above three categories....

I think Vue is still the best.  Bryce renders are nothing compared to it. 

Vue is not free...nor less than $120. The cheapest fully functional version costs $ 199..

http://www.e-onsoftware.com/products/?page=artists

Vue 7.0 pioneer is free but its doesn't import models and is very limited...

Yep, Pioneer is what I was referencing in my original message. The release version will be $50, which isn't too bad, but then to have to spend another $70 to be able to do unwatermarked renders is a little beyond my budget for something I'm just going to do for fun and maybe to post a few wallpapers or dreams here (if I reach some level of competency).

Blender Bledner Blender Bledner... easy, fast, nice, awesome...

http://www.blender.com

Blender and easy!

Well, it might be for you but I fear to hear.

Bryce is specialised tool for landscape or wallpaper creation.

While wax and jahshaka are designed for animation effects which are suitable to make dreams.

Blender is no doubt free powerful and awesome but its more for professionals. And its really great but I cant learn it.

I love Bryce.

After reading lots of reviews, I have a few ideas....

Carrara is more like daz plus bryce..

Cinema4D is for creating 3D animations and compositing scenes...

If you are looking for easy to use programs then these are

1.To animate characters

Poser or daz

2.To create landscapes

Vue or Bryce

3.To create models(no need there are many free available)

Wings 3D or Zbrush(costly)

4.To create 3D effects like starfield, smoke, water etc.

Wax or jahshaka

5.Texturing(painting) a model

Deep paint 3D or Body paint 3d or 3D coat

6.Allrounder

Cinema 4D

7.Just for fun

Iclone Studio

If you are looking to create dreams and wallpaper then just look categories 2 & 4.

For rendering landscapes, Terragen is the best. After trying both Bryce and Terragen - I really could never get my landscapes to look as nice in Bryce. They always ended up looking low-res and the textures always just looked wrong. You just can't beat the per-pixel detail of Terragen. It's not freeware, however.

Otherwise, I play around with these programs:

• Art of Illusion is a decent open source renderer/modeller. Not as high end as Blender, but pretty easy to use.
  
• Blender is about as professional as you can get for the price of $0. The user interface, however, is a lesson on how not to design user interfaces. Everything is a button, and it's got a steep learning curve.
  
• SketchUp is nice for drafting designs, but it's got a steep price if you want to export to another 3D program and use it commercially.
• Wings3D is great for creating models with.
  
• POV-Ray is interesting in that your scene is essentially a software program, and it directly renders true mathematical shapes rather than converting them to polygons.

There are some really beautiful Bryce renders submitted at cgsociety.

Terragen is tough for me and I read in a review that it doen't import models and can't create trees.

d-grafix pro terrain is one of the most recommended at gamedev.net and it can create trees too. and is also cheap $31.

The application isn't the issue, it's someone pushing two buttons and then uploading it.

Also almost all of richard mohlers walls are also done with Bryce