Rings around Photoshop

Lisa writes in to say:
  > This may seem simple, but I can't figure out
  > how to draw a circle in Photoshop without
  > drawing it with the pen tool? I only want a
  > border of a cirlce (or square for this matter!)
  > I've also tried the ellipse tool, but it
  > comes in completely filled solid. Help!

The Circle

That's fine, let it be filled with the color your want. Next, just "remove" the center.
 

Step 1: Draw the outside of the circle you need on a new layer using either the marquis or ellipse tool while holding in the shift key. (Option/Delete to fill with foreground color.) Then fill the circle with the color you want
 

Step 2: Drag that layer to the "New Layer" button on the bottom of the layers palette
 

Step 3: Tap the 'v' key (to select mover tool) Choose: File > Transform > Scale. Notice your options bar you see the "Scale" options, "W" and "H" (Shown at left.) Put the percentage you need to produce the thickness of the ring you need. Here I simply used 80% so you could see it the illustration in this small jpg file.
 

Click the chain "Link" button which links the scale proportionally and click the checkmark. You now have a cookie cutter to cut out the center of your circle.
      Tap 'W' key for magic wand, click once in the center of the circle. This makes the scaled graphic a selection, and gives you racing ants.
      Turn off the second layer in the layer palette. (Click on the "view" eye)
      Click once on the first layer in the layer palette and hit the Delete key. Voila, perfectly shaped and sized "ring."

Easy

This works in any versions 5, 6, and 7 of Photoshop, however an easier way would be to use Canvas, Illustrator or another drawing program. Some tutorials say use the Pen tool, or the Paths tool first drawing the circle then convert selection to a path however you'll get a very craggy ring that will take some tweaking to get perfect.
      Some might say use the "Vector" object circle tool, and you can use that in version 6 and 7 for superb circles. But in the Vector case, your inner circle must be "subtracted" from the outter circle.

      That's all there is to it. Have fun.
 

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