There is learning to tie and then learning to tie particular patterns.
A lot of the flies I fish in Colorado are rather small so learning to tie those patterns would be a tough place to start. Before moving on to tying 16 and smaller it is good to learn larger patterns that will let you work on things like thread tension and control, how to tie material onto the hook shank and have it where you want it, wrapping material and dubbing, proportions of the fly, wrapping and tying off hackle, etc etc. For that I vote for flies like the wooly bugger since it'll catch fish, is larger, and isn't too complicated.
Other good and useful patterns to start with might be foam beetles, the san juan worm, pheasant tail and hare's ear nymphs in beadhead and non-beadhead, elk hair caddis, and perhaps parachute adams/hare's ear, all in sizes 14 and 12. A stimulator is a great, larger pattern as well, but involves more materials.
Before moving to smaller patterns like BWO, rs2, and other small nymphs and dries learn that basics on the larger patterns. It's a fun hobby