[PS] Clone Stamp Tutorial

Clone Stamp Tutorial - Version 1.0

The clone stamp is probably the most useful tool in the world, and yet very few people know what it does or how to use it. D: Hopefully trying this tutorial will change that. Ask any questions you may have, and show your outcomes if you want. I am using CS2, but the steps are the same in any version of PS that has the clone stamp tool. Utilizing this tool efficiently will take practice, but I promise that once you get use to it, you will use it all the time.

Difficulty - Intermediate



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Version 2.0 - One huge image

If some pictures aren't showing up, these can serve as an alternative.


450 KB - For slower internet connections
650 KB - For faster internet connections


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Exercise: removing text and recreating the original image.
I'm going to be using this image:





Step 1: As you can see, there is text covering Wolf Link's left paws - let's get rid of it. Start by erasing whatever you can and leave the basic shape of his paws. I would zoom in to 200-300% to do this.

Step 2: Your image should look something like this. So what do we do about the leftover text? Clone stamp ftw!



Step 3: Select the clone stamp tool from your tools window (or just push 's'). Choose the 12 pixel 'soft mechanical' brush from the brushes menu.



Step 4: Start on Wolf Link's front leg. Move the clone stamp over the area you want to clone - basically, what do you want the area covered by the text to look like? The black just below the red text is perfect. Alt + click in this area to define the clone source.



Step 5: Now move over the red that you want to remove. Click and drag to stamp the clone source. Move slowly and carefully over the point you want to remove - if you don't get all the red taken out, or if it starts to push it up, redefine your source and try again until it is removed. After it looks up to par, grab your eraser tool to smooth the edges of his paw. Your image should now look similar to this.



Step 6: If you look closely, you can also see some of the blue from the text left over at the top of Wolf Link's paw, just underneath the shackle. Since the paws are light gray at the top, define your source point in a light colored area - I chose the area immediately to the left of the blue. Now click and drag over the left over blue text to stamp the clone source. continue to do this until everything looks fixed up. This is what I ended up with:



Step 7: Now for the rear paw! Let's get rid of the tiny black text before the red. Alt + click to define your source in the area just above the black text. Click and drag over it to stamp the clone source. After it looks good, use your eraser again to fix up the edges. TIP: When you apply the clone source, you should move the stamp tool up and down here. If the source is a horizontal pattern or texture, then you should move the stamp tool left and right.



Step 8: Define the source a little lower to start taking off the top of the red. We want the paw to look like a paw obviously, so now, define your source on the front left paw, near the bottom.



Step 9: Move back to the rear paw and click and drag to transfer the 'toes' to the back paw. Remember, go slowly and carefully. Cool huh? Now finish up by redefining your source and stamping the rest of the red leftovers. You're done! It isn't perfect, but it looks a lot better than with the left over text on it right?




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What else can I use this for?
(I wasn't very careful when I did these, I just wanted to give a general idea of the possibilities. If you take your time, these alterations can look flawless.)


Recreating and extending backgrouds:








Removing blemishes or impefections from photos:
*I can't find any good images to show an example of this*
EDIT: I FOUND IMAGE LOL.






Removing tattoos/airbrushing skin:






Removing text from signs:






Lots of other things, just mess around with it!

Ugh, stupid ImageShack not showing some of my stupid pictures. I was going to add more examples, but I think I will just remake it completely into one huge picture, and upload it somewhere reliable.

Has anyone found this useful yet? Is it easy enough to understand?

Nice tutorial, easy to understand, and quite useful. Great job.

Thanks mz. :3

Huge image versions have been added to the first post.

Very nice. This will be most helpful!!

Very nice. High five.