I made this for Sylent, but it wouldn't let me send it to you through PM because it was too long, so I'm posting it on here. Hope it helps.

Alright, I am going to try to explain this, but its really not that hard. All backgrounds are are a mixtures of brushes, filters, colors, and texture.

When making a GFX you always want to have decent brushes that will allow to you make grunge effects or whatever you are looking for to put onto your GFX. By using the different blending methods of the Brush tool and the dodge tool, you can create different effects with the brushes of your choosing.

Here are two great places to download brushes

http://getbrushes.com/

http://www.brusheezy.com/brushes

Now to download brushes, its actually really easy.

1. Click on the bursh you want to download.

2. Click download. You always want to save whatever you download to your desktop, because it is usually zip file. If its not a zip file, just hit open after you click download and the file should automatically upload into Photoshop.

3. Next step is to unzip the file into a open folder. Right-click the zip folder and click "Extract All". A box should pop up. You don't have to do much on this. Just keep clicking next until the file is extracted. No need to change the placement of the file or anything. Then clikc finish.

4. Once you click finish your file should automatically open. When it does, look for the icon that has a blue and green feather. That is the piece of the file you need, nothing more. Move that file to Program FilesAdobeAdobe Photoshop CS2PresetsBrushes

Depending on what ersion of windows you have, the move this file prompt may be different.

5. Once the file is moved and is no long in the folder, you can delete the folder and the zip file from the computer. You will no longer need it.

6. Finally, open adobe photoshop, From the Brushes Palette in Photoshop, click the small arrow in the upper right corner of the palette, and choose load brushes. The brushes will be added to the current brushes.

That is how you download brushes, if you have any questions on that let me know.

Here is a website which explains how to use different filters to create background effect.

http://www.photoshop-tutorials-plus.com/photoshop-backgrounds.html

That website alo has tons more tutorials so check them out it will really help!

Also another trick to making backgrounds it by using premade picture that you find on photoshop. It saves time. For instance, supposed you need a blue abstract background for you GFX. You go to photoshop.com and search exactly that. What will come up is backgrounds that other people made in photoshop that you can use.

You can also just use pictures to make GFX by just blending the backgrounds of them and using the "match color" feature.

To do so first line up all the pictures in your GFX screen to the positions you want them. Use the hide layer to help you wil this. Next find a brush that has an airbushed surrounding on it, It should look like what a little dot of spraypaint on a wall looks like. Then on the brush drop down choose the "clear" option. This will erase the parts of the photos you roll over. Doing this will blend the pictures better and create the illusion all the pictures are one.

Now you probably notice that the coloring if off on the pictures, especially if you used different definition pictures. To fix this problem, choose one of the pictures which has the best quality. Now click on a picture in your GFX in the layers palette you want to adjust.

Go to Image>Adjustements>Match Color.

A screen should pop up. First, go down to the bottom where it says source. On that drop down menu choose the photo that you want the photo you are adjusting to have the same color resolution. For instance if you want Photo 2 to have the same color resolution as Photo 1. Choose Photo 1 as the source. Then choose background for the layer. Next, mess around with the luminance/color intensity/fade until photo 2 has the same coloring as photo 1. Do the same for all the photos in your gfx.

Alright Sylent, that's all I can really do for you on background making. All I can really do now is tell you to look up tutorials and read and learn. That is what I did. Your best best is too find sites with them and practice. Also, look at forums that have GFX sections because most users post tutorials in there.

If you have any questions on anything let me know.