/3/ - 3DCG

This is my first attempt at making a character.
I'm trying to recreate Eyad Hussein's 3D Jane from Tarzan to get started or at the very least create a character from beginning to end, then doing it again and again until I get better.
I'm using Maya 2016
Any advice on creating ears?
Any advice creating characters in general?
Any bad habits I need to avoid?
Any way to learn faster as I keep attempting to make characters? (Good Habits?)
Anything I need to watch for when creating characters that if I do or don't do makes the character useless to rig, texture, or whatever?
Any other step by step videos that I can attempt (I'm willing to learn 3ds Max, and Blender).