Still love the A7 Matt!
The choice of manufacturer is purely an individual one; most people find one they like, and stick with it. I've used Humbrol enamels for around 47 years, but their formulation has recently changed, and I'm not really happy with them at present. I've tried some acrylics, and find Vallejo to be superior to the others I tried, although I still prefer enamels. Putting aside the 'smells' issue of enamels, I have never had any problems health-wise, due to fumes or perceived toxicity - lot of old wives tales can be heard in that area!
As with anything else constructive or artistic, when it comes to model painting, practice makes perfect - eventually!
The most important thing to remember when painting models, is that everything is scaled down - treat the job accordingly, by using the correct viscosity of paint, applying and laying it off properly, and you'll soon get the hang of it. The biggest problem area for beginners is brush marks, and 99% of the time, this is caused by too much paint being applied, and not laying it off - in other words, brushing-out the paint so that it covers evenly.
Unfortunately, the written word and still pictures, can't really convey methods properly or clearly, and a 'live' demonstration is the only real way to show how it's done.