Producing a starter is not too hard, all it takes is time. I've been doing this for a few decades and periodically have to begin a new starter because I have neglected the old one and sometimes an old starter gets too old and too sour. All I do is start with a small amt of flour (whole wheat) and water and as for the amounts, a wetter dough than what I bake with. After a few days it begins to bubble some and I add more flour and water. I keep building it up until I have a nice batch and then launch into the baking. I keep my starter refrigerated and when I take an amount for dough I replenish the starter with the same amt of flour and water that I took out and let the starter work on that new flour for four or five hours and put it back in the fridge.
There are people who make wetter starters, some stiffer. Water and warmth will drive how fast your starter works on the flour.
As for baking I usually bake loaves of about 4 lbs and for that much bread use only about 2 tablespoons of starter. A little bit goes a long way, but I build up my dough over two days in "refreshments." It's always a "feel" and is dependent on many factors, such as weather, flour, etc.
The fun thing is that there is no right way and you can make wonderful bread with the simplest of inputs: flour, water, starter, and (usually) salt.
.jpg)