How to make a selected area with a circular border?

Question

I'm using Photoshop CS5

My question has two parts to it:

1

How can I make a circular selected area with a blank border (no fill) border (stroke: 30px)?

I'm going for a similar effect as produced by the Horizontal Type Mask Tool, just, instead of text, I would want to use the circular border as the mask.

2

After making a selection area I want to force that selection to do something with my photo like as if you are writing on in sand. (sand text)

To do that, I copy and paste that selection but when I used blending options on my photo layer it seems there is a nub in my photo instead of a notch.

How can I do this job done right? Sorry for my language ... Best regards, thanks for future answers

Answer 1

Warning, image heavy

I kind of understand your first question so that's all I'll attempt to answer for now, and please clarify if this is wrong, but here's how I see it: You want to ONLY have the stroke on a circle, not the contents.

Two easy methods:

Method 1:

Circle marquee -> make your circle -> Select >> Modify >> Border -> Select amount -> Ok

Method 2:

(I prefer this method, it's cleaner)

Make a circle --> open layer styles --> add a stroke --> ok Lower Fill to 0%, then you are only left with your stroke.

EDIT I think I understand Question 1 better now.

So, to isolate the stroke, and then use the strokes selection to mask, do the following:

Layer -> Layer Style -> Create Layer

This makes the layer style, into its own separate layer. Now, select the orange circle (ctrl+click the layer's thumbnail)

Then, select the black layer...

And now hit "delete" -- this will erase the black circle's innards. Now, simply select the remainder of the layer, and use that as your mask.