How to Make Really Nice Pictures By Spending a Little or a Lot
If you can spend a few bucks, you might want to consider Paint Shop Pro or Fractal Painter.

How to Make Way Cool Backgrounds Without Spending Nary a Nickel
On the other hand, if you are a PC user who doesn't have much in the way of dollars, paint or graphics programs, but would like to make really swell background tiles for your website or desktop, this section is for you.

      Any ideas?