To turn a character / statue concept into a 3D model in Maya it always helps to have some reference to model over. It helps to think not only about what the character will look like but also how it will be rigged and animated afterwards so you know where to place the divisions so that the joints will move correctly.

The best way to do this is to draw or put together reference photographs of different views of the desired character: usually at least front and side views. These images can then be imported as image planes and the modelling can be done in different perspective view points to match up to the reference images.

My Character

I want my character to match my battle arena by being another robot, but a more complex one with a circuit board heart in it's stomach area, animated seaweed covering its body, and an octopus living inside of it's head with animated tentacles swaying around the robots head.