I need advice on getting a good graphics program

[Sapphire Nights]

I want to create .jpg blocks of text. And be able to make fancy lettering and drop in borders, graphics, and backgrounds.

I need a program that is easy to use and not too expensive.

This is what I made with basic Paint Shop Pro. It is used as a graphical link to another page. It is too plain and the red lettering displays faded and choppy on some computers. So bacically this is crap.

[kamikaze9]

Now I normally don't advocate this, but the best graphics program is easily Photoshop, and Adobe knows this.. it is a great injustice that they decide to charge so much, so that's why I say just warez it! I did, I admit it

I made this banner w/ Photoshop... some of my better work:

[SimplyCosmic]

Under Windows I use Adobe Photoshop. Of course, like most others, I also could not afford it, even at the discounted rate they give students.

Under the *nix's (Linux, FreeBSD, etc) I go for The Gimp, which is free and every bit as powerful as Photoshop for non-print material.