I finally decided to crack down and actually practice with CS3, sketching and getting used to the way it handles compared to Paint Tool SAI. I may also begin uploading things to my other account, ~shiny-banette (https://www.deviantart.com/shiny-banette) which is where I intend to keep Pokemon and other non-TEF artworks.
I've noticed that my sketching style takes more effort and is closer to my pencil-and-paper way of drawing than SAI is. Because making freehand lines with SAI is so effortless, it requires less roughing to get the shape I want..
I'll also be playing around with coloring techniques, brushes, and possibly textures.. any tips are greatly appreciated.