Recommended to get a good artist cutter, which is much cheaper than a hobby knife that does the same job if not better.

I am using the very same OLFA Precision Art Knife that comes with 30 spare blades and it last me for 4 years.
 

Recommended to get a large nail clipper. I assemble my first model with just a nail clipper and cement.

It normally comes with measuring grid that is ideal for cutting your masking tape.

Substitute this with your local brand of 1/16 inch driller.

There are a few types of cement. Normal and Extra Thin. I am using the normal for basic building where gaps filling are required. Extra thin is use for putting very small details parts onto my model.

Ideal for gluing small resin parts.

Although some recommended a 30 minutes bond for a longer workable time but I still prefer a 5 minutes bond time. It is not practical to hold both pieces together for 30 minutes.

What I did is mix a small mixture and applied to places where I need to stick together and then hold it for 3 to 4 minutes. This is owing to my hands are still the best tool to hold the pieces together comparing to rubber band and clamps.
 

Once thinned with nail polish remover, it is easy to apply, dry in 10 minutes and sanded smooth. It might shrink slightly when dry. Nail Polish remover eat into plastic and not suitable for plastic kit.

When thinned with Mr. Thinner, it will have the same property, dry in 15 minutes and sanded smooth but most importantly, it will not eat into plastic. The con is, it is expensive.
 

Can be melted with thinner before applying and then sanded for a smooth surface.

The instructions stated workable time after mixing is 6 to 10 minutes, sand-able time is 25 to 40 minutes. The putty to hardener ratio is 1.5% on a hot day and 3% in winter.
 

I do not favor this unless for filling very large gap. I still prefer the basic putty with thinner method.

Note that Jeweler's file set is more economical in the long run.

It is also very useful for removing mistakes made while using Gundam markers. Careful not to apply too much as it will remove paint.

Also great for repairing "minor" sand marks.
 

Apply your water-slide decals onto your model and then put some of this on top of your decals. Wait for an overnight before applying top coat.

Simply apply some of this to one surface that you do not want the putty to stick on for good.

Remember to wash your kit before painting as your paint do not stick on these.

Mr. Color's paint are very thin, so it is suitable for hand brushing. The best combination of hand brushing that I have tried so far is still using Mr. Color mixed with Mr. Leveling thinner. Alternatively, use Mr. Thinner with a few drop of Mr. Retarder Mild into your paint mixture. Minor brushstroke will magically level itself while drying.
 

Although my initial 1/144 models are hand-painted using Tamiya acrylic, I  do not recommended this to any beginner as this paint is too hard to hand brush.

Acrylic is the weakest paint after Enamel and Lacquer. Any other paint on it will eat into it. For example, a Top Coat spray-can (lacquer base) might destroy your beautiful paint job. It also has the weakest hold to plastic and not suitable for Gundam kit that moves a lot.
 

The "earth" color pens works like pastel only in a more convenient liquid form. It dry powdery and easily dusted off.

Thinned with Artist Turpentine will take days to dry and best use for color blending and dry brushing.

Thinned with Zippo fuel and it will be safe to touch in about 30 minutes and dry overnight (for very thin mixture). Ideal for panel lining and washing.

Artist oil is safe to seal with a layer of Lacquer Clear Coat almost immediately.
 

Grind it to dust and apply it to your model like a make up. Easily rub off. Require a clear or dull top coat to prevent it from coming off.
 

I normally use general masking tape from stationery shop for painting. Try looking for those that has low tack.

Dry fast and annoyingly hard to clean. Will clog your airbrush on continuous use at about an hour. Need to clean your airbrush thoroughly after every use.

Level brush strokes and prevent paint blob. As of now, I prefer using leveling thinner rather than the normal thinner.

Alternatively use pure alcohol, rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit. I have tried all of them with Tamiya paint. The alternative works but the end result is much harder to control.

There are another cheaper lacquer thinner available at your hardware shop. It comes with lower grade (less pure) chemical content. I never got to try that.
 

If you can, try to get one with an air-tank so the air pressure is more consistence. A silent air compressor will be even better so you don't wake up others while airbrushing in the middle of night.