new to figures and need help please!!!!!!

practice, practice practice...........

Im using wargaming paint that is almost identical to Andrea or Vallejo paints, and the secret there is to thin it with water, but then ALMOST dry your brush on a towel.  the ideal is to have the STARTof the paintstroke ALMOST dry as you FINISH your paintstroke. Sounds dumb, but belive me, with enough practice you will get it to work for you. A flow extender really helps these acrylic paints, Im using a small bottle of Liqutex Slo Dri from the paint aisle at Hobby Lobby, and that small bottle will last me for years at the rate Im using it.

Check out the tutorials here, I go here all the time and it has helped tremendously:

http://www.reapermini.com/TheCraft

Although the colors and subject may not be familiar, paint concepts are very similar.
You can build up your paint in thin almost transparent layers. Most new painters put on WAY too much paint and ruin the job. Here, less is usually more.
Games workshop also has some great brush tutorials that I have used, in basically unlearning all of my bad old habits.

HTH

To answer your first question, use as little paint as possible.  It takes some time and practice to paint the equipment and clothing.  Personally, I still can't paint a face to look human if my life depended on it.  Try out painting in basic form first.  Use the correct colors and work on your brush skills, then try multi-layer techniques.  The second question is very easy, yes, they do make 1:48 figures.  What specific figures are you looking for?