The clone stamp tool is essential for editing photos. It cannot only help you remove unwanted objects from your images but also help in retouching the images. You might say that there are other tools for these purposes as well, but what makes it stand out is that it gives you pixel-level control over the edits. Before you learn how to use clone stamp tool in Photoshop, it is equally important to know the basics. You can find this tool on the left-hand toolbar or you can use the shortcut key which is S.
How to Remove Unwanted Objects
Gone are the days when a single unwanted element could ruin your entire photo. Although, many tools have been made available to remove such objects the Clone Stamp Tool is more effective when you need finer edits. It can be used to remove anything such as a twig, leaves, or even people. Let us now see how to use clone stamp tool in Photoshop for removing unwanted objects. But before learning the process, you should know that this tool works better when the part that you are removing has the same color and detail as the part which is going to be placed in that location.
Step 1:
You might already know it but it is important to mention that you should add a duplicate background layer before applying any edits. This way you make sure that you preserve the original image in case anything goes wrong.
Now, open the image and then zoom in on the object that you want to remove. As mentioned in the beginning, this tool works on a pixel level, therefore, you need to zoom in to select the exact object. Then, select the Clone Stamp Tool.
Step 2: How To Use Clone Stamp Tool
In this step, you have to first pick a brush. In starting, you can use a medium brush but you will get better at it once you start using the tool. Also, remember to keep the size of the clone stamp tool equal to the area that you are removing.
After that, just move the cursor to the pixels that you want to place in the removed area. You can Alt-click to select the sample pixels.
Step 3:
This is the last step of learning how to use clone stamp tool in Photoshop for removing unwanted objects. In this final step, you simply move the brush over the object that you want to remove. Make sure that the cloning process looks natural. If you do not like it, you can press CTRL+Z to undo a step.
Another thing that you need to remember is to make sure that patterns do not start emerging on the cloned area. If they do, you can either select a different sample for the cloning or use a smaller brush to get rid of the patterns. Try both methods to determine which one works better.
Retouch Images using Clone Stamp Tool
Now, let us see how to use clone stamp tool for retouching and repairing images. Another way to put this is that if there are any imperfections on the skin, this tool can easily replace them. The best part is that some of the steps are the same as the previous method which will make it even easier to learn this process. Let us now start the process.
Step 1:
Just like the previous method, the first step is to select the clone stamp tool. But do not forget to add the duplicate background layer before doing it. Then, zoom in on the parts that you want to remove. However, if you are working on the skin, you can zoom in all the way to make sure that you are selecting the exact imperfection to be removed.
Step 2: How To Use Clone Stamp Tool
Again, this step is also similar to Step 2 of the previous method. To summarize it, you have to select source pixels from a different location of the image but make sure that the color and details do not create patterns on the image.
Step 3:
Now, let us see what makes this tool special for retouching. You can set the brush mode to either Lighten or Darken.
In case of Lighten, the tool will only change the pixels which are darker than the pixels of the sample location. On the other hand, if you set it to Darken, it will do the opposite.
Finally, use the brush to paint over the area that you want to replace.
Conclusion - How To Use Clone Stamp Tool
As you saw, it is fairly easy to learn how to use clone stamp tool in Photoshop for removing objects and for retouching images. The only thing that you should worry about is the formation of patterns. Although it is an easy tool, it will take some time to fully master it. Just keep practicing and you will get the hang of it once you have enough experience.Â
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