How to Get Cutout to Work Consistently?

[Linda Lou]

For days I've been trying to get the 2018 cut-out effect to work consistently.
I'm not having much luck with the user guide or searching for videos.
Can someone please tell me why the Cutout 3-D effect works about 4 times out of ten? Getting a cut-out shape is almost impossible.
My procedure:
Draw outline of shape.
Select the outline.
Add new layer.
Effects>3d>Cutout
Settings:
Vertical 2
Horizontal 2
Opacity 90
Blur 5
I check the fill color (white for the example attached), but it does not show up.
What am I doing wrong? Why do the same settings not work every time?
I'm attempting to get a cut-out as if a footprint (inside recessed), but all I'm getting is a cutout edge as shown here:

[Linda Lou]

Just found this from one I did the other day. This is what I want to get every time, but it's not happening.

[LeviFiction]

i'm probably not understanding, but why would you select the outline instead of the inner portion of the circle? If you select only the outline then the selection is literally just those few pixels that make up the outline an that's the only place the resultant cutout can appear. So you won't see anything.

But if you select the whole inner area and perform the cutout then the cutout effect can appear inside that big area.

so, if you are in fact selecting only the outline you're gonna get the problem you see there as you only have a few pixels selected. You want to select the entire inner area.

Video demonstration (audio is really loud, sorry): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OOvRiL ... S7P6a/view

[Linda Lou]

Thank you so much! That is exactly what I was trying to do. Your video makes it so easy. You made my day!
To answer your question, I had been using printed instructions from PSP 6 or 7 days that I saved many years ago, and could not find online again. Those steps simply stated "Select" the text or shape. Apparently most of the time I had been hitting the outside edge of the shape.

Feeling silly because that is so easy!
Many thanks!