/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

/ic/, I'm completely new to photoshop and tablets, digital art in general and I would like to convert from dicking around with pencils all the time to painting in photoshop cs5. I don't really know where to start.

I have a cintiq tablet and I'm ready to get this show on the road. What resources do you guy recommend? Are youtube videos good enough or am I better off with Digital Tutors?
I have a friend with a subscription that they're letting me use, but their subscription doesn't include the project files used in the videos. Are there alternatives?

...does anyone want to be my fucking art penpal?
I want someone just as determined as I am to self-teach with the sardonic demeanor of a 4chan browser.
We can bounce ideas/critique/motivation off each other and bug the shit out of each other when one of us gives into procrastination/depression.
pls respond