gad, the more I read this, the more I like Open source..look for the Gimp (can do a lot more than I can at present, but can do layers, crops, brushes, etc. Plus there are a boatload of 'plugins' for it out there on the web.
Project Dogwaffel has a free paint program that looks fairly nice. Haven't played with it much, but lawsey, it does have enough parameters..both should show up in a Google search.

I wish I'd said that.. The Staircase Wit

anahl nathrak uth vas betude doth yel dyenvey..;)