Well, I wanted to test out Inkscape (a vector art program I had downloaded before getting my tablet pc), and the character just popped into my head. I quickly figured out how to use the calligraphy pen tool and made the outline. After that I took the outline into Gimp 2.0, colored it and added a fractal background. Finally, back into Inkscape to create the thought balloon and signature, and finally merging it all together in Gimp again. All in all, less than forty minute's work, where it would typically take me an hour or more using just Gimp. I think I love Inkscape now. I can have the resolution of the picture set as high as I want in Gimp without any pixelation, and the original .svg file itself is less than a megabyte.

I also like this pic since I don't dislike, nor hate, but sincerely LOATHE drawing side shots, since I never have been able to draw one I've liked. This one, although more cubist than I originally intended (which is fine for a cartoony picture anyway), turned out to be one of my better ones. I could draw this picture on paper, sans background, in half the time, but it'd have tons of places where one could see the erased lines. I'm still a ways to go, but I think I'm getting the hang of using the tablet.

Now if I could motivate myself enough to make time to practice every single day...