Help on Siggy please

before I start saying anything I'm using GIMP. atm I'm downloading Photo Shop CS5. I used to attempt making sigs a while back but quit cause it was horrid just nasty.

Alrighty. I'm very new at making these Signatures I've looked up tutorials on sites but.. eh. They just don't help way to confusing, I have no clue what are the tools for Photo Shop. I will be listing sigs.

First off , I made these perhaps 2 years ago. Never asked for help LOL, so I really doubt I can call it a siggy ^^





As you can see, it's very basic. The font I honestly had no clue to make it "fancy" at all. EVEN to this day I can't seem to get fonts look.. uhmm.. good? I primarily cared more about background. Using tons of layers and just changing its colorization.

Now today as I was skimming through other members art work it some what inspired me in a way and I wanted to give it a shot again ^^ this time planning to actually get good at it.

Here are ones that I made today.











I attempted to do a Vector(Haruhi) and a Rain filter(Koopa).

Personally I find my sigs to be Plain,Bland and it seems to be missing lots of effect and such.

It would be really cool and much appreciated if maybe someone could teach me how to use Photo Shop, making sigs,effect moving etc? lol.. I doubt it but it would be greatly appreciated.

I wanna make something like this or that:







*side note

Lol.. when I see others Siggys I feel so hesitant posting this crap up haha.
Oh and Thanks for enduring my uhm.. work lol.

I need help on:
------------------

-basically everything, hmm what do you people thing?
-Fonts
-blending
-render I think needs to be more.. uhm idk ^^