Use the Cloning Tool for Photoshopping

Sometimes there is an object or person that needs to be removed from an image: an ex boyfriend or girlfriend, compromising text, an advertisement that can’t be displayed for legal reasons, or photographic defects such as dark or light spots. Even though all of these tasks involve erasing things from the image, the tool that is commonly used is the Cloning or Duplicating Tool. This tool works by taking the pixels from one part of the image and duplicating them over the top of another part, effectively 'obscuring' whatever is behind them. In this manner, textured backgrounds can be cloned over the top of undesirable subjects, leaving the background clean and seamless.

Steps

  1. Open the image that you want to change in the image editor of your choice and select the cloning tool (in Adobe Photoshop it is a rubber stamp icon). Carefully choose which part of the image you want to clone away.
  2. Zoom into the image to between 200 and 300%, focusing on the part where you want to clone your pixels to. This is done not only to give you a better view for fine details, but also to make sure you work on a smaller area of the photo at a time. From this area, select the pixels that you want to clone from. In Adobe Photoshop this is done by holding down the Alt or Option key while selecting the proper area. Choose an area that is near the part of the image that you want to cover to make sure that the colors and patterns match as closely as possible. For example, to clone over a person standing in front of a wall, take advantage of nearby wall textures.
  3. Start cloning in easier areas, such as in sky or on very smooth or dark textures, first. Select a nearby area and then click to clone that area over the part to be obscured. Use small strokes and take your time with detailed areas. Be sure to zoom back out from time to time to check on your progress as it is very difficult to spot mistakes while zoomed in. If you do make a mistake, use the Undo (Control-Z) command to undo the last stroke you made.
  4. Do not rush while working. Experiment with cloning specific details onto your image by picking sections that are farther away from the cloned area. For example, when cloning over specific details, pick a matching detail from another part of the image to prevent similar sections from appearing. Pay special attention to fine lines and ridges, duplicating them from similar areas whenever possible.

Tips

  • Save your file often, especially whenever you feel that you've successfully cloned an area. It is also a good idea to save the working file under a different name, so the original version is always available.
  • To make textured areas look as natural as possible, select cloning areas randomly and take advantage of different nearby textures. Using the same area repeatedly will create a repetitive pattern in the cloned area which will be extremely noticeable. Sometimes a single click from a cloned area is all you need, so move around frequently.
  • Always perform cloning tasks first. Save any image resizing, recoloring, or filtering for last. This can help to obscure any mistakes or defects in your image.
  • Use a soft edged brush to blend soft textures more naturally into the background, and use a harder edged brush for very specific textures. Also, pick your brush size carefully. In general, use the smallest brush size possible for textures, and a slightly larger brush for soft areas. Again, take your time!

Warnings

  • You need to be careful when editing images of people or places. False representations of people can bring about lawsuits and even jail time!

Things You'll Need

  • An image editing program such as Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, or GIMP.

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