Click "File > New" to create a new document. Select a standard banner size from the Presets menu, or enter your desired dimensions into the height and width fields, making sure the units are set to pixels. Since you are designing for the web, the resolution can stay between 100 and 72 pixels per inch.
Click on "View>Palettes>Layers" to make sure your Layers palette is enabled. Select the background color, gradient, texture or fill pattern to use for your background and use the Flood Fill Tool to fill the first layer. You can also paste a background image, texture or photo into the image and use the Pick tool to move it around or re-size it until you achieve the desired results. Keep your logo or text in mind when filling the background so you can be sure it will be readable.
Click on "Layer > New Layer" to create a new layer above your background. You may switch between layers by selecting them in the Layers palette located on the right side of the screen. Use this layer to add any graphical elements to your design.
Double-click the title bar of the image to enter full-screen mode. This allows you to view the canvas outside of the visible area of your image. You can use the Preset Shape Tool to create abstract areas of color by sizing shapes larger than the image borders and moving them to your desired locations.
Select the Text Tool and click the image where you want the text to begin. Type your main text into the text box and then highlight it. Select the font, size, color and stroke color with the text highlighted in order to preview the results in your image. Stroke is the outline of the letters; you can turn it off by not choosing a foreground color, or by setting the stroke to 0. Click "Apply" when finished.
Repeat the text step for any additional text. It is always a good idea to create each line or element separately so you can move, resize or transform them independently of one another. To move text, simply expand the text layer in your Layer Palette, select the element, and use the Pick Tool to manipulate it.
Save the image as a PSP first. This is your layered version that you can use to easily change or redesign later. Click "File > Save Copy As" and choose JPG in the "Save as type" drop-down menu. Before clicking Save, click the Options button and set the compression slider to 20. This helps optimize your image so it loads faster.