Photoshop help

All I want to do is a simple cutout.

I've googled. I can't find the damned user's manual. The help window in photoshop doesn't give me an answer, at least one that I can make out as “here's how to do a simple cutout.”

So. How does one perform a simple cutout in Photoshop.

Thanks in advance.

 

Here's how I do it: Zoom in very close to the object, the closer you get the more crisp your cutout will be, but the longer it will take.

Select the pen tool, and click all the way around the area you want to cut out.

Go to the 'paths' tab, and click on the little icon at the bottom that says 'load path as selection.'

Copy.

File:new.

Paste.

Ta da.


Of course, there's also this:
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/34989/

 

OK.

I do all of the above, and all I get is a black outline on white background in the new file. Also, it might help if you know I'm using version 5.0.2. I went to the link to the other Photoshop thread and took all of that advice, and there is no option to inverse the path or make a clipping path.

I'm about at wit's end. Any more help out there? ???

 

OK platy, send me a PM, I'll talk you through it.

 

I Googled "knockout" and found this:

http://www.heathrowe.com/tuts/knockout.asp?knockout=clippath