No..No.. nothing ever sucks, okay! So remove that word from your vocabulary - maybe 😛
I think maybe you could have chosen another type of blending option. Next time consider doing an Overlay, Multiply or Screen. That way, you can erase some of the parts you don't like. Do an Image>Apply Image then you can add your other type blending option. You can erase and still have the original image below it.
Here's a font you may want to consider.... it's called 'golden 0 pony'
Here's the download link to it... it's my favorite
in my opinion they are pretty good considering you are a beginner 🙂
it took me over a month to get gradients working for me when i started on GIMP 😛
and abstract art i learned recently 🙂
so for now the only suggestions i have is that in first image use a smooth gradient in background and in second image use other blending modes like value and screen and play with opacity to get better shades 🙂