Photoshop Cloning - The Clone Tools

One of the most important skills to master in Adobe Photoshop is how to clone. The real trick, is that there are more options you can use, than just the Clone Stamp Tool. You also have the Spot Healing Brush, Healing Brush, and Patch Tool. Once you get those under your belt, there are more advanced tools that you can use, like Content Aware, and Vanishing Point. Now that I have brought them to your attention, Let’s take a look at these in some detail.

Even if you are an experienced professional retoucher, not knowing when to use the right tools can cause more damage than good. If you only know how to use the Clone Stamp, because you have been using it for 20 years, you are really missing out on what Photoshop has to offer these days. You should really watch some tutorials and bring your skills up to par.

If you are new to Adobe Photoshop, then you really need to learn how to use each of the tools available to you. Some work better than others, and you will learn by trial, error, and watching video tutorials. Ideally, you should make sure you are watching new, and updates Photoshop CS5 tutorials. If you make a mistake and watch a video for CS3 or CS4, then you will me missing out on the new features the tools may offer.

Clone Stamp Tool - The Clone Stamp, or Rubber Stamp Tool, is the oldest, and most effective of them all. Mostly, this is because you, the retoucher, are inn complete control. It takes years to truly master the art. But, once you figure it out, there is little you can not do.

Spot Healing Brush - The Spot Healing Brush Tool will clean unwanted markings from an image. This brush will create its own sample area, from the pixels around the marked section, and try to match in the texture. This brush works wonders on gradients, steady patterns, and other predictable areas. Unfortunately, of you anywhere near another textured area, you will definitely start picking up unwanted patterns.

Healing Brush - The Healing Brush tool is another one that allows you to fix imperfections such as dust and scratches. Unlike the Spot Healing Brush, you are allowed to select your own area that you want to sample from. Photoshop will then blend the sampled area.

Patch Tool - The Patch Tool retouches the image using a sampled area. It works as a combination of the Healing Brush with the Lasso Tool. It does not matter how big, or small, of an area you are working with, this tool does an amazing job of removing the unwanted blemishes, but keeps the texture, pattern, and color behind.

Content Aware Fill - The Content Aware Fill is about altering, modifying, or otherwise masking objects in a selected area. Since this another completely automated tool, you have no control over the results.

Vanishing Point - The Vanishing Point Filter is great for cloning in perspective. Once you lay out the grid, you can then, quite easily, clone in 3-D space. It works along a dimensional plane, and is great for architectural needs.

Even if you know how to use one, or two of these Adobe Photoshop Cloning Tools, you are really missing the big picture. Each one of these works great in one situation, but not in another. To become a skilled retoucher, you really need to learn how to use them all.

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