Reduce selection in proportion

[momoffduty]

I am making frames. Started off with a color layer. Added a selection to make a rectangle & Edit>Cut. Now the next step is to make the center of the frame which I want it to be a mask and not cut (for future editing).

I can make a selection and just eye it, but it is not exactly in proportion to the rectangle. I have tried to Ctrl+select the rectangle, but can't figure out how to reduce the selection evenly. I tried to make a mask from the selection, but can't figure out how to reduce the mask. I tried changing the settings in the Mask UI panel, but no luck.

The frame needs to have transparency around it because I am adding a few graphics on the frame for decoration.

Any suggestions? Thanks. (PS CS5)

[Bob]

OK, You've got a rectangle surrounded by transparency and you want a proportionallly reduced selection which you will turn into a mask. Is that correct?

After you load the rectangle's selection with ctrl+click, you want to go to the menu and Select>Transform Selection. There will now be a transform command bar at the top. Make sure the "link" symbol between the width and height is selected so that both dimensions will change together. Type the percentage desired in the width or height box or scrub the width or height to size by eye. Commit the transform (press enter or click the commit icon in the bar). You now have a proportional selection and can proceed to make your mask.

[momoffduty]

OK, You've got a rectangle surrounded by transparency and you want a proportionallly reduced selection which you will turn into a mask. Is that correct?

In a nut shell. Thanks! Will give this a try.

[momoffduty]

This was very helpful! Working on a rectangle it was best not to have the width & height linked. Thanks, the frames look even now.