SSO Graphics

I am a bit good designer, and wish to learn more from the website to explore in the depth of designing

i’m a recent graduate from the field of graphic design. i’ve just got my first freelance job to design a company logo to feature on beauty products. how much should i charge?

I am making images in gimp and every time I save one and upload it to photobucket it ends up being all distorted and pixel-y. I am saving in JPG format. How to I keep my art from getting screwed up? It is really frustrating!
Can anyone recommend any other free drawing/image editing programs for Mac?