Start with acrylics: low odor, water or alcohol cleanup, safe to brush indoors, and modern lines (Vallejo, Army Painter, Mr. Hobby Aqueous) cover beautifully. Lacquers spray glass-smooth and cure the most durable finish in the hobby — which is why airbrush veterans love them — but their hot solvents demand a vented booth and an organic-vapor respirator, non-negotiably.
Many builders run a hybrid stack: lacquer primer and topcoat for durability, acrylic color coats for safety, enamel washes for panel lines. Hotter chemistry goes under milder chemistry, never over it.
Go deeper in our paints & primers guides.