Making Circles look like circles

[JHV]

I should know better, but I am suffering from serious brain fade.
I made a circluar selection , filled it with color (black), contracted the selection to knock out the center (going for the "donut look"). My problem is that the circle doesn't have roundness. it's kind of like a "sorta round"circle. I think there's a setting that I'm missing to smooth out the circle, but for the life of me, I'm missing it.

 

[theKeeper]

Nope, no setting for that,... Photoshop just sucks where perfect circles are concerned.

Try this instead... create your circle selection, then simply Stroke it the pixel width you'd like. You have 2 methods of Stroking a selection; one is permanent, the other editable.

1) Under the EDIT menu choose Stroke... Apply the pixel width you want, but eave the other settings default.

2) Using the Stroke Style within the Layer Styles dialog window. Double-click the layer, then click on the Stroke filter at the bottom. Change the settings to your needs.

Oh and actually... there's a 3rd option here... using the Vector Shapes tool to create a preset circle outline. Press the 'U' key. Then from the Options Bar along the top of your screen, click on the blob looking image (custom shapes). To the right of that image you'll see the word "Shapes". Clcick that. When the library window opens, click the small arrow at top-right. Within that list choose "Shapes". There should be a circle outline shape already made up.

If you're not sure about using the Vector Shapes/tools, i'd suggest reading through the HELP! files to get more familiar with them. There are several little things that need to be addressed/changed when using this tool.

 

[wbiss]

Welcome to the forum JHV!

Mark has given you a few good options to achieve the results that you are looking for, so good luck!

 

[sfm]

welcome aboard JHV
sfm

 

[Stroker]

You could use Polar Coords if you really want to.

I could have sworn that there was a way to do this with keys (ctrl, alt, shift). You know, ChOps on-the-fly. But I can't seem to it figure out by dragging from the center. Hmm...

My prefered method:
Drag outside circle.
Save in Alpha Channel.
Go to Alpha Channel.
Drag inside circle.
Fill with black.
Start new Layer.
Load the Alpha.
Fill.

 

[sPECtre]

Welcome to PSG, JHV! (it sounds like a secret language)!

 

[JHV]

Thanks to all

Thank you to everyone. I could have sworn that there was a "smoothing" combo that I was missing. I guess it WAS alpha channels and lighting, but I am probably confusing myself with PS and Illustrator where you actually CAN make a real circle! LOL.

Anyway, it is a pleasure to be a part of these forums. I look forward to a long membership!

 

[Moth]

There's another way to create a circle. Use the marquee like you did before. Fill the marquee. Transform the selection through Select/Transform Selection then Delete.

 

[wbiss]

Best to stick with the vector tools for "real circles" JHV!