Quoted By:
SAI is fucking awesome at lineart and dirt-easy to use.
Photoshop is much better for coloring and overall all-purpose work.
Painter is top-tier if you like working in a more d-painter style or want a more analog-style feel.
I've also recommend TVpaint, which is fucking AWESOME at everything, but you have to be able to read matrix code to navigate it's interface. I don't even think I know 10% of what the program can do and it's already as good as SAI and Photoshop for basic drawing and coloring.
As for tablets, Wacom Intuos is the top-tier choice. If you're not able to handle using a traditional tablet, you need the "hand-eye" coordination, and have more money than sense, buy a Cintiq. Understand that it's technologically and functionally inferior to the Intuos in virtually every way (though if you're still fledgling you won't notice the difference).
Virtually every American artist I know uses Photoshop and/or Painter. Animators I know tend to use Toon-boom, Flash, or TVpaint, but I don't really know many traditional animators.
Virtually every Japanese artist I know uses Photoshop and/or SAI.
<-pic is what I'm working on atm.
