Ok,
www.goodtutorials.com go to backgrounds follow the tutorials. Then when u get better
www.deviantart.com go to browse resorces ps brushes. Download some and start brushing. As for the pics make a new layer, pput a pic in the sig, go round with magneto lasso tool(the pic or part u want), right click, feather, 15 pixels, right click, select inverse, delete. hope this helps