Which Cartooning Techniques do you use?

I was just wondering... How do you guys create your cartoon characters and what programs you guys use...
this is how i do mine

Illustrator:
first i make shapes (normal ones) combine them together
work with the points to make it into the shapes i want
Coloring:
duplicate the shape 3 times... first one is use for base color with no outlines.... second one is use for shadows with no outlines(cut out shadows from the original shape).... the third one is the shape with just the outline and transparent middle....
i stack them one on top of the other with base color first... shadow second and line on top.....

I was wondering if there are any other ways of doing it....
maybe an easier way...