Steep learning curve for Strata: Not if you’ve already got some solid experience using a 3D modelling/rendering software and know how to model, texture, light, and render. Those basic concepts carry through most 3D softwares, just different interfaces. In fact I think Strata3D is one of the easiest and most approachable modellers/renderers on the market. It only took a month or so to get fully trained on it having used a different software previously.
With that being said, Strata is NOT a manufacturing or engineering platform. You will not be able to generate production drawings, specs, etc from it. It is used to generate pretty pictures only. But for the conceptual (“Graphic”) side of the process, thats all you really need. If you want to play in the engineering (“Structural”) side of things, Artios is really the industry standard. Unfortunately I don’t really know much about Artios other than all the Structural Designers use it, and its very expensive. My impression is that if you want to go in that direction, you’ll likely need to either go back to school for packaging design, or get hired on with a company and try to get them to train you (possibly start as a Graphic Designer and begin working your way over to the Structure Side). For myself, I’ve never had any interest in the structural side and all the creative fun was on the graphic side. But that is also based on the two companies I’ve worked at that do Temp. POP.
As far as books or online resources, not really a huge amount, but here is at least a start:
www.popon.com
www.thedieline.com
www.creativemag.com
Honestly the best resource you can find is to walk retail (U.S./CAN: Wal-Mart, Target, grocery, CVS, Walgreens, etc) and just start looking at all the various display vehicles up close and in person. Start paying attention to the different types of displays, what elements they have, materials they use, etc.
*Thanks for the compliment about the sketches. Those are so old they seem like forever ago