Cintiq: Digital Sketchbook; Learning Curve

The learning curve on a new digital tool:

A Wacom Cintiq - And a couple of programs...

I've dabbled with the Cintiq and Photoshop Elements 6. Enough to see the potential of what the Cintiq might be able to do when I become conversant and fluent with it... This is the first piece I've explored a little more extensively while trying to figure out why the Cintiq is acting more like I think a tablet would and less like I thought the Cintiq should. My specific problem (which i've been trying to troubleshoot) is that I can use the pen to control psE6 on my monitor (an iMac 10.4.11) - but the file is not visible on the pen display. My desktop image is visible on the pen display and I can call up the menu on the pen display. I havnt figured out how to get a photo or blank file to show up on the pen display so that I can work directly on it there.

This is the next piece I did still trouble shooting and still playing with the pen in psE6.

This is my 2nd play time with Painter Essentials (a lite version bundled with the Cintiq). I've hadnt used this program before trying it with the Cintiq. I like a lot of things I can do with it altho I have a lot to learn on it too. Again tho, I think things will change and improve a lot once I figure out how to get a file to show up on the pen display so i can work on it there rather than drawing on the pen display while the image is on the monitor - where i can see the pen tool and what it is doing there.

I'm saving these for now as marker starting points. Sometimes it helps me to look back and see where I've been to see that I am making progress - even when it seems like I'm not... of course... it's also fun.