Unusual Text functions

[I.S.Moore]

As a 25 year user of PS and new to Pixelmator (bought it two days ago) I cannot get used to how the Text function works. I've spent hours trying to make some simple layouts but always run into unsurmountable difficulties. First I make a simple text and then try to make it more interesting with the OUTLINE function in the STYLES menu. But the colors never seem to cooperate: if I put in a fill color it doesn't appear but does become the outline color, etc. Tried making three text layers so that I could put them on top of each other in a staggered pattern but was unable to give them a fill color. And these things keep happening to me. I'm probably doing something wrong because of my unfamiliarity with the program but am still looking for a reasonable user guide to help me in such situations. Any suggestions out there?