Clone tool help?

**lynnema** · 04-11-2008, 10:36 AM

I'm not getting how to use the clone tool. I'm on a pc, and I alt-click to select my source point. But when I start painting, it starts copying other stuff - there is a little plus sign and that seems to be where it is getting the source from. But I only want to paint with the source that I originally picked up, not this roving plus sign. Any help out there? TIA!

**LadynRed** · 04-11-2008, 10:42 AM

That is how the clone tool works. You define a point where you want to clone from, but it is not LIMITED to just that point. The source moves in conjunction with the movement of the clone tool. You can change how it works by changing the alignment setting, as well as the hardness of the 'brush'.

How big of an area are you trying to clone, and what are you actually trying to fix ? In some cases, the healing brush might actually be a better tool than the clone stamp.

**lynnema** · 10:58 AM

OK - got it. But what about this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCQhgkTdr0M

Where he clones the bike, and can then paint it right into the screen, without picking up anything else? That's where I'm confused... TIA!

ETA - basically, I have a picture - I'm trying to extend only the background on the picture so instead of it being a square, its a rectangle. If I copy and paste the background, I get lines where you can see where they were copied and pasted. I thought the cloning tool would solve this problem, either to help hide some of those "lines" or by just copying the background and pasting it in appropriately, but I'm having trouble.

**LadynRed** · 04-11-2008, 01:41 PM

I wish I could look at that video.. but it'll have to wait until I get home.. IT has YouTube completely blocked here.

Have you tried using a layer mask to blend where the copied section meets the original ? Sometimes that works, depends on what the background content is.

**LadynRed** · 04-11-2008, 07:50 PM

Ok, I watched the video - very cool. He's using CS3, and he is using the HEALING tool, NOT the clone tool. The healing tool automatically BLENDS to the existing background. That clone source palette in CS3 is very cool, haven't tried that yet, only got CS3 at work 3 days ago !

04-11-2008, 10:36 AM	#1 (permalink) Clone tool help?
lynnema Skilled Talker Posts: 96 Name: Jess Weiss Location: Massachusetts Talkupation:	I'm not getting how to use the clone tool. I'm on a pc, and I alt-click to select my source point. But when I start painting, it starts copying other stuff - there is a little plus sign and that seems to be where it is getting the source from. But I only want to paint with the source that I originally picked up, not this roving plus sign. Any help out there? TIA! __________________ "If you worried about falling off the bike, you'd never get on it" - Lance Armstrong "The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they're going to have some pretty annoying virtues." - Elizabeth Taylor

04-11-2008, 10:42 AM	#2 (permalink) Re: Clone tool help?
LadynRed Super Moderator Posts: 5,542 Location: Tennessee Talkupation:	That is how the clone tool works. You define a point where you want to clone from, but it is not LIMITED to just that point. The source moves in conjunction with the movement of the clone tool. You can change how it works by changing the alignment setting, as well as the hardness of the 'brush'. How big of an area are you trying to clone, and what are you actually trying to fix ? In some cases, the healing brush might actually be a better tool than the clone stamp. __________________ Web Goddess & Web Standards Evangelist :) - Tables Be Gone !! "Using or working with IE is like having to wear a 1970's polyester suit with pantyhose and a girdle, to work everyday"

04-11-2008, 10:52 AM	#3 (permalink) Re: Clone tool help?
lynnema Skilled Talker Posts: 96 Name: Jess Weiss Location: Massachusetts Talkupation:	OK - got it. But what about this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCQhgkTdr0M Where he clones the bike, and can then paint it right into the screen, without picking up anything else? That's where I'm confused... TIA! ETA - basically, I have a picture - I'm trying to extend only the background on the picture so instead of it being a square, its a rectangle. If I copy and paste the background, I get lines where you can see where they were copied and pasted. I thought the cloning tool would solve this problem, either to help hide some of those "lines" or by just copying the background and pasting it in appropriately, but I'm having trouble. __________________ "If you worried about falling off the bike, you'd never get on it" - Lance Armstrong "The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they're going to have some pretty annoying virtues." - Elizabeth Taylor Last edited by lynnema : 04-11-2008 at 10:58 AM.

04-11-2008, 01:41 PM	#4 (permalink) Re: Clone tool help?
LadynRed Super Moderator Posts: 5,542 Location: Tennessee Talkupation:	I wish I could look at that video.. but it'll have to wait until I get home.. IT has YouTube completely blocked here. Have you tried using a layer mask to blend where the copied section meets the original ? Sometimes that works, depends on what the background content is. __________________ Web Goddess & Web Standards Evangelist :) - Tables Be Gone !! "Using or working with IE is like having to wear a 1970's polyester suit with pantyhose and a girdle, to work everyday"

04-11-2008, 07:50 PM	#5 (permalink) Re: Clone tool help?
LadynRed Super Moderator Posts: 5,542 Location: Tennessee Talkupation:	Ok, I watched the video - very cool. He's using CS3, and he is using the HEALING tool, NOT the clone tool. The healing tool automatically BLENDS to the existing background. That clone source palette in CS3 is very cool, haven't tried that yet, only got CS3 at work 3 days ago ! __________________ Web Goddess & Web Standards Evangelist :) - Tables Be Gone !! "Using or working with IE is like having to wear a 1970's polyester suit with pantyhose and a girdle, to work everyday"