A question to do with the GIMP . . .

I use PS 5, which I love with all my heart and soul. But there's some things it just plain can't do, which other people put in their tutorilas and it makes me fairly green around the gills, with this inability to save gradients or do drop shadows or so many things . . . So. Can the GIMP handle this? I don't want to dowload it to the Photoshop-equipped computer and discover that there's no substantial benefits. (mis-poted to my personal journal at first, and I somehow didn't notice . . .)

Also: Does anyone know where I might be able to scrounge up smoe photo-corner brushes? Please?