Set up your preferences for your pen tablet. You can do this by going to your program files, selecting the graphics tablet software and choosing "Set Preferences." You can assign the pressure sensitivity of the pen tip ranging from very light to very hard. Test out which style you like best using a program like Photoshop. Set the buttons to whatever options that you would like. The most common options are to set up the upper button as "right click" and the bottom button as scroll or "double click."
Open a program that you can use the graphics tablet with such as Photoshop, Illustrator or Correl Paint. Select the airbrush tool to draw using your graphics tablet. Set the pixel size to around 5 pixels to create a size that is close to that of a drawing pencil. Practice creating line strokes with the stylus on your graphics tablet. Adjust to drawing on the tablet while watching the strokes appear on the screen. When you have mastered this, try drawing out a basic framework drawing. Do this with simplified lines that mark out only the general shape of your drawing.
Zoom in on the framework drawing using your graphics tablet. If there is a ring on your tablet you can zoom in by running your finger in a circular motion inside the ring. Rotating clockwise will zoom in and counterclockwise will zoom out. You can then add intricate details to your illustration using the stylus. Set the pixel size down to 3 pixels to create very small strokes and detail work. If you make a mistake you can flip the stylus over and use the opposite end as an eraser.
Color your illustrations with the graphics tablet. Select a base color with your graphics tablet. Click on "Layer" and select "Duplicate Layer." Set the top layer to "Multiply" and you can now color on the bottom layer without destroying your line art. Paint the colors onto the illustration holding your stylus like a paint brush. The more pressure you apply the wider and fatter the line color will be, just like with a real brush.
Clean up the illustration using the smudge tool or the eraser. You can select the smudge tool and gently push any color that has spilled out past the lines using your stylus. Zoom in with the wheel on your tablet to make sure the colors are crisp, clean and neat. You can also use the eraser to erase any overlapping colors. Be sure to set the pixel size smaller for erasing around tiny details.