Making Backgrounds?

No really. How the hell do you make good backgrounds?

It seems like whenever I grab different backgrounds materials and try to merge them together into a scene that is acceptable, all I get is a clusterfuck...

Also, How do you go about making custom backgrounds completely from scratch. I've always been kinda interested in that but I fail horribly whenever I attempt that also.

Really, I'm just looking for some tutorials that discuss this so if you guys have any links to any such tutorials feel free to post them here!

Thanks in Advance <3

I would answer your first question, but I'm gonna let someone more experienced than me answer that.

As for your second question, well, you're gonna need be good at custom spriting. I also recommend getting better at drawing, it gets easier when you know how to draw.

Drawing, eh?

I need to get a proper mouse then...All I have is this mouse pad on my laptop

Well its easy. You need to fantasize your background. If you have researched for a background, it may not be as good as you wanted. But if you have played many games and looked closely on the level/area that you are playing, you will get the ideá and then you can make a good background. For example using animated water from sonic and use volcano from mario kart super circuit and ground from super mario world. Its going to look awesome!

If you are looking for background, just go to spriters resource and download background from there (recommended) but you have to animate the background for yourself.

...Yeah, I've figured it out now. Thanks though.