Amateur graphic

I don't do graphics often (unless I'm making my own story banners), but I did this for a contest:

Click Me!

I'm a total amateur and still dinking with Paint Shop Pro 9 to learn more, but felt comfortable sharing this.

The title is a bit off center and it is very grainy, a bit too grainy.
As you said, you are new to this and this is a good start.
I have a feeling you are getting used to all of the filters and various effects, am I right? Nothing wrong with that. Just, one thing to keep in mind, like most things in life: Dont rely on anything but yourself. With these kinds of programs, try to make as much of the look and style your own hard work and not filters. =]
This is pretty cool though! The concept is pretty sweet. Once you get more used to the program, you'll feel more risky to do things all by your own cursor.
Keep at it! Post more. =]
Oh, and welcome aboard! =D

I was hoping for some good feedback! I'm at the "ohhh...what does *this* button do??" stage still with Pain Shop, lol! I think that one was all filters...I think. I really need to take a night and delve deeper into the program, because there's so much I still don't understand. I did a different version of it with white instead of black, but everything else is still the same. I see so many cool banners and think "someday!". But I really need to fiddle some more with the program!

Yeah exactly.
What you need to do to get used to the program are two things

1) DON'T TRY TO MAKE BANNERS RIGHT AWAY. Get a picture, preferably of someone you don't like, and fuck around with it as much as you can. Try different things and tools to see what each thing does.
2) look up tutorials online. Not even for anything in particular but just in general. Youll get more of an idea of the many uses each tool has.

I never thought of online tutorials! *slaps head* I need to do that, because there are some things that even playing around with them I haven't figured out their purpose yet.

I will give you one more before I head to bed. This is a banner I made for a story of mine, playing with fonts:

Buxton

Keep the feedback coming! I love making stuff, but need to get out of the beginner stage eventually =).

This isn't quite feedback but that is a nice picture of Jimmy on your Buxton banner
I'm reasonably hopeless at graphics programmes, although I sometimes like to have a go and always rely on other people's kindness in making things for me in that department but I have a friend who is shockingly good at photoshop etc and I think she would give the same advice, use lots of online tutorials and just practice playing and creating things and 'destroying' things until you learn to use the features but also find your own style in doing so

PSD dot TUTSPLUS dot COM

become a pro like us!

or Go to college

*has been to college twice* *can't afford to go again* Though I do want my MFA in creative writing. Someday. When I don't have $50,000 in student loans, maybe...

I will check out that website, thank you! Now that my niece is down for her nap, I should get the dishes done and then find a few pictures to destroy, lol!