Clone Tool Question

[MikeJMcElhatton]

I use PS for 95% of my work but one thing I hate about it (or just don't know how to use) is the PS clone brush. I do all of my cloning in Corel PhotoPaint. They have a brush that is soft around the edges so as not to produce a hard line of demarcation where the cloned area meets the uncloned. In Corel, I can adjust both the transparency and "edge hardness" of the cloning brush and I have much better luck with it.

Also, in PS as my cloned "take from" area begins to reach into the area that has already been cloned I pick up the original image again. What I want to do is jsut to continue to carry the cloned area forward.

Ideas? Am I missing something?

Mike

[DonLashier]

quote:

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brush that is soft around the edges

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What v of PS do you use? You should be able to pull down the brush palette from the clone toolbar and select hard, soft, as well as various patterned brushes. There should also be an opacity slider.

quote:

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I pick up the original image again.

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I find this a nuisance also. iirc the older v's of PS didn't do this. I just clone in stages when doing larger areas - ie release and reclick the left mouse button at appropriate times to avoid this.

- DL

[Mitchell_Zachs]

Also, if you do not have PS7 then I would highly recommend upgrading to it. It has a band aid tool and patch tool that takes a little getting use to but between the clone tool and these other tool PS7 allows you to do some amazing stuff if it is used right. It must be a pain in the rear for you to have to switch programs just for retouching. I am a photojournalist and have gotten into more photo restoration work and find PS7 great. If you have any questions about cloning and fixing flaws in PS7 then post those questions as well.
Hope this helps,
Mitchell Zachs

MagicalPhotos.com

[ January 22, 2003: Message edited by: mitchz ]

[Roger_Cavanagh]

I have PS7. You can adjust clone characteristics in several ways:

- Aligned check box. If this is unchecked the clone start position will be fixed.

- Changing opacity and flow can weaken the effect

- Brushes with hard/soft edges can be selected

May be preselecting a soft brush and using non-aligned mode is what you want.

Regards,

[Chad_Dahlquist]

as others said use a dif brush
also good idea to change your clone area a bit to avoid patterns