[ms_khw]

I'm working with PS Cs2 and frustrated to no end with the clone tool. What am I doing wrong? No matter what I do I keep picking up the area around the image that I want to clone. This is what I'm doing. I've created a duplicate layer, checked align & sample all layers. I have clone tool set as a brush tip. I alt click what I want to clone, then create a new layer and drag my mouse until the image appears (also tried this without creating a new layer, same result). But what ever is around the image also appears. Like the attached image. I only want to clone the chicken. But the floor/straw as well as other chickens are showing up. Help please?

[buck52]

It seems what you are trying to do requires making a selection first... the clone tool requires no draging... you alt click on the area you want to clone/copy then move the mouse/pointer to where you want to paste so to speak.... there is no draging involved with the clone tool...

have a look here... http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

The best tip I can give you is to buy "classroom in a book" from Adobe... http://www.nextag.com/Adobe-Photosho...382957E4F4DD75 ...

or join NAPP... http://www.photoshopuser.com/ ...worth every penny

[ms_khw]

Thanks Buck the tutorials are great. Just wanted to say, it is not the chickens that I'm trying to clone. Just used them as an example, what I'm trying to do is get rid of a silly telephone pole in a photo of mine. I think with your help I can finally do it. Thanks.

[lister]

If your already making a selection around the image, then you don't need the clone tool (wrong tool) - just create a new layer from the selection.

[buck52]

sounded to me like he's using the selection tool when he should be using the clone tool

"get rid of a silly telephone pole in a photo of mine"

[Noyb]

Wrong tool is kinda what I was thinking.
The purpose of the Clone tool is to "copy" good parts of the picture to replace (paint over) the bad parts.
(Source to Destination copies)
This usually requires a lot of Source Clicks (Alt+Click) and Destination (Clicks) using different Brush sizes.

Many times, It helps to use a lot of Small "Clones" using different sources and maybe brush sizes.
It also helps to pay attention to the "Aligned" mode.
Many times .. You will want to switch between aligned and un-aligned depending on the source you’re using to do the replacing.

I’ve found it helps to set the preferences to “Zoom with the Scroll Wheel” .. Zoom in and work on small parts at a time.

Another trick is to use the space bar (and hold) to temporarily activate the hand tool so you can reposition your work while Zoomed In.

Takes a lot of practice to get the feel of the Clone tool, but once you get it ...
It’s easier to do ... than explain in words.
Here’s a silly phone pole you can practice removing .. it’s going to get a little tricky at the peak of the roof.

[buck52]

nice little practice picture Noyb...
very busy at work but playing hookie today so I thought I'd play a little bit... don't forget the shadow...
buck

[Noyb]

Did you get all the required construction permits ??
I don't see them posted anywhere, as required.

[buck52]

That's why I got rid of the shadow as well....

what permit? what pole? can't I play dumb like most people?

[Noyb]

Using the Clone tool is like hiring a painter to cover up the Blemishes ..
You’re safe … I don’t think Construction Permits are required.

This “silly pole” is a good example of using other Photoshop tricks.
For the big areas, I would have used the polygon Lasso tool, selected part of the Garage …
Then Pressed CTRL+J and copied the selection to a new layer.
Then I would have repositioned the new layer over the Pole… to the Peak of the roof.

Here’s a Photoshop example using Layers and selected area’s.
You can see the two layers of the re-construction … Permits may be required.

As far as your Acting skills .. Do I know you ? .. Were you one of my former supervisors.

[buck52]

so you know... I did as you said and used many PS tools...

as an example the pole in the sky area is easy to use the clone tool on.... it is even easier to select a section of the sky next to the pole then paste it into the image.... you know it's not quite that simple but not much above basic...

[BDACBT]

Why don't you try and really do a number on that driveway. Use Vanishing Point. That driveway would be a dead giveaway in a high res file. Not so much on the garage, but for sure on the driveway and the shadows on the street.

[buck52]

Originally Posted by BDACBT

Why don't you try and really do a number on that driveway. Use Vanishing Point. That driveway would be a dead giveaway in a high res file. Not so much on the garage, but for sure on the driveway and the shadows on the street.

because it's a low res file to start with...why waste the time

[BDACBT]

Originally Posted by buck52

because it's a low res file to start with...why waste the time

If I had known that I wouldn't have suggested it.

[buck52]

did you even check...I gather not... you didn't expect a 20mb file posted here at TSG did you...

Never played with that plugin much but might revisit it now that you have brought it up