Banner Design help!

[nkcd]

My friend asks me to help him create a banner for his website. Something that's nice, cool, and not flashy.

Any graphic gurus here can help point me the way? Like what program to use, and what effects to use on it, etc? Don't worry, I catch on very fast. It just that I haven't work with graphic programs for a while.

Best if have some nice lil animation without being so flashy.

Thank a lot

Can you post some examples as well?

Thanks

[D_o_S]

Flash?

[VisiV]

Photoshop 7 is what I use, and Good-Tutorials.com is where I learnt most of things I know.

(though if your not willing to pay or even pirite this program, the only other one I can think of is GIMP it is free)

For examples.. I guess browse around my site for a bit, its linked in my sig, the only that is up is My Clan Site. So yeah.

[VisiV]

If you got photoshop now, um, go here and read this, it will help you understand image ready a bit, and then have at it. I made this in like 7 minutes. Using Photoshop 6 here at school. So yeah.

[VisiV]

D'oh forgot the link.... sorry, here you go. http://view.tutorials.clantemplates.com/?articleid=91

[comrad]

Program to use- Photoshop CS2/Image Ready

And if you MSN or AIM add me, ill help
aim- comradt8
msn- pyckuu2000@hotmail.com