having a problem with a selection

[Pfandor]

Hello everyone. First post here.

I am learning Photoshop from a book. I already have limited experience.

I tried to scan in the exercise I am doing, but I did not want to destroy the binding on my 40 dollar book.

I have created a shaded ring. I used the eliptical marquee tool, then used a quick mask to make a selection of the middle, transformed it, then deleted the middle so it was empty.

The next part says to use Ctrl+A to select all. The problem I am having is that when I press Ctrl+A or do it not using the shortcut, I get the same result, the whole outline of the canvas instead of the outline of the tire like shape.

I tried researching this and I really can't figure out what I am doing wrong here. It's probably something stupid, but I am really stumped and I can not continue with my exercise.

Thanks for your help

 

[SeniorS]

First try do all that with Move Tool (V) selected. If not help then try all that stuff do in separate layer not in Background layer. And then you will have ring with transparent background. When you'll press CTRL+A it will select for first time all canvas but when you'll start to to press what their said it will reselect only that ring and do needed stuff. And Move Tool (V) must been selected I think.

 

[hawkeye]

If you have created the ring on it's own layer and you wish to select the ring, ctrl+click the layer thumbnail in the layers palette.

 

[Matthew Preston Forster]

great explanations!