Total beginner needs advise

[Dave Ward]

Gary,
Starter sets are a good place to try your hand - they're normal models, just with the addition of paint, cement & brushes, ideal to see if you like the hobby. Tools, well, you should be able to cope with a starter model, with normal household items! As a kid, I used nail clippers, and nail files, before moving onto more convenient tools.
We're having a group build, using starter sets, starting in April * Starter GB * This can give you an idea of what forum members will be making ( myself included ).
All you have to do is enjoy it - it's a learning curve, and you're making it for yourself - not to be judged by others ( that'll come later! )
All the best, Dave

 

[Jakko]

Maybe the best advice is: don’t overthink things. You can spend ages thinking about what you need or don’t need, but you’re far more likely to see if this is a hobby for you by buying a kit of a subject you’re interested in (but, as mentioned, it is a good idea to ask whether it’s suitable — some kits are very hard to put together, others are very easy) plus a few basic tools, and just starting building it.

Speaking somewhat generically, what you’ll want to avoid if you’re after a model you can actually build with little or no experience, are kits by Eastern European and American manufacturers. Anything reasonably modern from a Western European or East Asian manufacturer is unlikely to have poorly fitting parts, though some brands have far more and smaller detail parts than others.

 

[AlanG]

One of the most important things i will say is. Just have fun. Yes you might make mistakes. Paint something wrong. Glue your fingers together or leave a smudge on the kit. But hey ho. I still do that and i've been making kits for decades.

I still look back at some of the kits i've made way back and think 'wow they are a bit dog rough'. But you know what. I had fun making them. And that's what i remember. I can also see where i have improved too.

Enjoy