Hi Vellum and welcome to the Guild. The quickstart guide is a good place to start. Also check out the software section of the forum which has an explanation of what is out there in terms of software, the cost etc. If you are very new to using image editing software / painting and drawing software it may be frustrating at first but as with all things, if you stick with it you will improve.

In terms of map making, some of the very best maps we have seen here have been drawn by hand. Hand drawn maps have a vitality and feel which is very difficult to replicate on the computer so don't throw away your drawing board just yet!

p.s. I've edited the title of the thread for clarity.