Photoshop Righto i've seen some of the results this software can produce and really want to get it and learn how to use it! Which version should i go for starting out and what can you do with it?
Start in Photoshop Elements and build up, things like layers can be confusing to start with from scratch!
the basics have stayed the same since photoshop 5, if anything, its gotton easier since then, i would go for the newest one and learn from there (i think the latest is CS2)
Just have a fiddle p) and get used to all the buttons, some of the filters etc etc and then search google for photoshop tutorials. Pick a few at random such as text tricks and effects such as metal, or wood or shading.. or things such as 'how to create nails' (which is basically the look of a nail hammered into something). They might not be useful to you but the techniques and stages you go through to get the end results always require at least the use of layers and it'll get u used to the way things work. That's all I've ever done and after that your commen sense tells u what to do for a lot of graphic design/editing. You'll be sticking nobs on peoples heads in no time!