In your layer manager you should now have the base layer, white, and above it your wood layer. Select the base layer. Your wood layer will still be displayed in your image because it is above the base layer, but the object black marquee will no longer be showing
Now select the text tool, as shown outlined on the left. Set up the text parameters as shown in the task bar in this illustration. You can use other fonts and sizes, but these show the cutout effect very well, so this is a good one to start with and experiment with others later.
Type in your text. It will be placed as the top layer in your layer manager, even though when you typed it the base layer was selected. If it is not quite in the right place, click on the text layer in the layer manager to select it, and use the arrow tool at the top of the toolbar to get the mover tool to adjust it to the centre of your image.
From the selection flyout select the magic wand tool. Make sure that the text layer is still your current layer, and click on the select on object button outlined in red top right of this illustration. Click on your first letter. Then click the + sign top left of this illustration, and making sure that the click on object button is still depressed, click on each of the rest of the letters so that all are surrounded by the green selection marquee.
Store the selection. (left) It will appear in the selections manager, one of the choices on your layer manager panel.(right)
Select the layer manager again. Then remove the selection (left), select the text layer in the layer manager, right click to get the layer options and delete the text.
Make sure that the wood layer is the selected one, and load your stored selection. You have only the one selection to choose from so just hit OK when the load selection screen is displayed. The green selection marquee for the text will appear on your wood.
Now use Edit/Paste/As Object. The holes in your wood will appear to have been filled in, but you can see in the layer manager that this is because the cutout letters have been pasted back on their own layer and are now covering up the holes.
In order to get the cutout effect, we need the letters underneath the holes. So click on the letter layer in the layer manager and drag it under the wood layer, but above the white. As you drag, a small cursor like a piece of paper will appear. When it is between the wood and the white, let go the mouse button and the lettering will move below the wood.
On the next page we will make the cutout effect.
