Newbie here… I’ve searched and trolled these forums for months so I apologize if something like this has been posted. I’m trying to recreate something like the photo below… I want the blue ring to be elevated, white to be carved out, red at the same level as the blue, and then I want to not cut inside the letters but instead around the letters so the entire white space is cut to the same depth as the first white ring.
I don’t want anyone to do it for me. I’ve been playing around with Easel and I guess what I’m missing is how to stack the circles.
Do you have any recommendations for basic easel tutorials. I searched on youtube for quite some time and didn’t find anything more than just an overview.
Draw the first circle to the size of the blue - fill it, set depth to 0.
Draw second circle to size of outer white - fill it, set depth to desired.
Draw third circle to size of red - fill it, set depth to zero.
Optional combine 2 & 3.
Draw fourth circle to size of inner white - fill it, set depth to desired.
Optional - combine 3, and 4.
Add letters with depth of 0.
Think about it in terms of what you WANT to cut and what will be left behind.
So in this case you have two circles that you want elevated(not cut) so you would need a circle on both sides of the two elevated pieces I made a quick example below. But I didn’t measure anything so this isn’t accurate.
I’ve been playing with easel a little more lately. A few of the projects I am trying to build, seem complex, but as I started playing with the layers and stacking and combining, they turned out to be pretty straight forward.When stacking parts, you learn to start playing with the “Send to Back” “Send Backward” etc. If you can imagine, that each item you make is a different layer. Easel cuts from the front to rear (or Top to Bottom) depending on how you look at it. When it comes to the lower layer, if you can’t see it, it won’t be cut.
Here is a little exercise that will help with your rings, and hopefully give a visual look at layering. I will just give the steps, everything is simple menu selections. Remember “Undo” (Ctrl Z) is your best friend.
1- make your material 12" square and 1" thick and use a 1/8" bit.
2- make a square 12" square and set the depth of cut at 1/2"
3- center the square on the material (there’s a menu command for that)
4- make a circle 10" diameter and set the depth of cut at 1/8"
5- center the circle in the material
6- make a circle 8"diameter and set the depth of cut at 1/4"
7- center the circle in the material
8- make a circle 6"diameter and set the depth of cut at 1/8"
9- center the circle in the material
10- make a circle 4"diameter and set the depth of cut at 1/4"
11- center the circle in the material
Now with this done. If you have done it in exact order, your preview should show you exactly what you are looking for with regards to the rings.
To see how the layering works, If you now select say 2nd circle, send it backward, you will see that that level seems to disappear from your preview. It hasn’t actually, it is just hidden behind a layer. Since it can’t be seen, it won’t be cut.
Next step will be figuring out the letters. I am not !00% sure about that one.
This is a project I have been working on. It is completely done in Easel using simple shapes, placement and combining.
Good luck with the project.
I was just thinking that 
Actually, no one has completed the project for her. Nothing that was written above will complete the project. All of the directions, show paths to take to achieve the goal.
Both directional posts, were written to demonstrate how to achieve various heights stacked heights. While Kyle’s picture shows what it could look like rendered (he did not upload a file).
As a beginner myself, I understand that what is truly simple once you know it, is incredibly complex and frustrating until then. I literally spent days working on that arch, hit Ctrl Z more than any other key until I wrapped my head around the layers. I will admit that it was not fun at all. This video by @PhilJohnson helped.
It didn’t take much for the understanding of layers and positioning to click in. But now that it has, while it still takes me some time, I am more comfortable working with the shapes in easel. Now I am having fun working on complex projects such as a 500mm square drone landing pad with multiple shapes and inlays.
Good luck with the project @ChristineWigandt. I look forward to seeing the finished project.
If you ever need something a little more complex turned into a vector, Fiverr is a great place to go.
Had to get ahead of the all mighty prophet 
its rarely only $5 though, mostly $10+
Surprised it took an hour lol
Thanks Darrin! I’m 100% in favor of figuring this out myself but with something like this I’m a complete newbie and finding it difficult to complete things without a sense of direction.
I should have clarified, I in no means want someone to do this for me, but like I mentioned I am a beginner and looking for GUIDANCE.
Do you feel special now?
Thanks for the tip! I will check it out
No worries. We all were/still are there. We all need guidence. These forums are great. And no matter how anyone spells it out. No one does it for you. Getting the machine up and running was my first challenge. Ever since then I just move the challenge to more challenging things. Good luck and keep at it. You can and will do it.
@RobertCanning has been feeling special for a while. But we like him all the same. 
