Hi Duane, welcome to the best forum on the net. Attending a teardrop gathering is a sure-fire way to get one interested in our little camping trailers. I may have met you, as I remember some stranger telling me that he was a local boy, and it might have been you.
As a novice builder, I suggest you stick to the standard wood construction and cover the exterior with what ever material suits you. A wood exterior requires out-of-the-weather storage and yearly sanding and fresh varnish if you want it to last. There are some builders that store their water resistant rigs out in the snow during the winter and don't seem to have any problems as long as proper maintainance is performed. Choose aluminum, fiberglass, FRP or other waterproof material and your care will be kept at a minimum.
Do check out the various trailers in the Hall of Fame and look at the Generic plans available on this site. If you get busy soon, I believe they are planning another get together next year at the campground next to Pamplin Grove, if I remember, it's called Swimmers Beach or something like that. Congrats on jumping head long into computer use. Once you get the hang of it, it's a snap. Good luck on what ever you decide to build and remember, ask questions, take pics and post em. We'll see you at a campground someday, when you are a proud teardrop builder and user.

Roly ~~