When trying to create fan-art you need the basic tools. (These tools change between the applications you may use, or if you use paper)
Photoshop's toolbelt.
Photoshop is one of the biggest graphics designer applications in the world, it provides you with the tools to let your imagination run wild. However the imagination is only as good as the user's ability to use the tools and vice versa. Photoshop has a massive range of tools most of which are shown in the image below
from Top to Bottom:
The move tool: This allows you to move any selected layer(s) to anypoint in the file.
Rectangular marguee tool: This makes a selection in the shape of a rectangle of which allows you to cut out anything in the layer that is inside the rectangle.
Lasso tool: This tool allows the user to make a freehand selection on a layer (bassicaly the same as the marquee tool but with more free-roam.
Magic wand: This tool will make a selection based on it's colour.
Crop: With This tool the user can expand or trim the size of the preset.
Frame tool: Creates place-holder frames from another layer.
Eyedropper: The eyedropper tool smaples colour on the preset and changes the priority colour.
Spot Healing brush: This removes any unwanted pieces in an image without cutting through the image.
Pencil: Paints hard-edged brush strokes in the priority colour.
Clone-stamp: After a part of the image is selected it will paint that part in any other part of the preset.
History brush: Restores part of an image to an ealrier state.
Eraser: Removes the inner area of whereever the cursor goes.
Paint bucket: Changes the background or foreground colour to the priority colour.
Blur: Blurs area where cursors moves in an image.
Pen: Makes and changes paths or shapes with anchor points and handles.
Text tool: Creates box with the ability to add speech into.
Path selection tool: Selects an object and allows the user to change the size, move the object or rotate it.
Shape: Draws shape from a pre-created shapes list.
Rotate-view: Rotates the view of an image.
Zoom tool: Allows the user to zoom in or out of the preset.
