When I started I thought the render was he back ground! xD A few tips: download some cool brushes of the net (just type in 'GIMP brushes' into Google) and fiddle around with the effects (trust me, even I don't really know how to use many effects) and try making a background! I used YouTube a few times to get some tut's and they worked ok. By the way, can anyone here teach me how to use some effects? You could teach me and Zakpak together, you could become your own year 7/grade 7 teacher! xD
~Panther
C. ~~