Now to add the text. Add a new layer. Set foreground and background colors to white, then click on shapes tool. Set shape to ellipse, check antialias and create as vector. The line width does not matter as we will be creating a solid shape.

Create an ellipse smaller than the top of your sign and place roughly as shown. Move the new vector layer under the blank raster layer on your palette. Pick a light color from your image and set it as the background color

Click the text tool and move your cursor over the ellipse until it becomes an A with a curve under it then click.

Make sure your text is set to "Create as floating" and click standard text so that only your background color shows. Have the alignment as center and bold your font. The font size doesnt need to be very big, Play around using the Auto proof set so that you can see how the text looks on your image, until your font sits nicely inside the base. It may overlap at this time but we can alter that later.

The font used for this sign was Anglican. For the example shown at the end I used Anglo Saxon, 8th c.

With the ants still marching around the text make sure that the floating layer on your layer palette is above the empty layer u made earlier and delete the vector layer.

Make the floating layer active and click inner bevel use the following settings:

Select none. At this stage u may need to use the deformation tool to line up the text exactly.

Add a new layer and add the text at the bottom of the sign, using the same bevel. Use a new layer for each line of text so that you can center each on the sign.

At this stage you could add a small shadow to each letter layer but I prefer to leave it flat looking as tho the letters are painted. The picture below shows both versions.

Making sure your background is still invisible, merge visible layers. You now have the sign.

You can use your sign as it is or you can create a surround to hang it in. To create the surround continue to the next page.