Adobe Photoshop Basics

Download this zip file for all the images you need to complete the exercises for Lesson 8. (Mac users can use Aladdin's free Stuffit Expander to extract the zip file.)

Exercise Three - Clone and Sharpen Tool

Practice Image: clonepractice.jpg

Before

After:

This is an interesting image, but I find the chain hanging down from the camel's chin to be distracting. Let's do away with that, shall we?

Remember the New View command I told you about at the beginning of this lesson? Now would be a good time to use that trick.

Select your clone stamp tool, choose a soft-edge brush that is slightly larger than the chain links. Set the mode to normal and opacity to 100 percent.

Set your clone source about an inch or so to the left of the chain, right at the bottom edge of the image.

Make your first click directly on the chain at the bottom of the image so the source and destination will be aligned horizontally.

Drag on up the chain, but stop before you get the area where you see streaky spots in the sand. You want to be careful to make those streaks aligned when you clone. To do that you'll want to reset your clone source so it is centered on a streak near the chain, then move over the chain and center your brush so the streak will align properly and click. Then continue filling in.

As you get close to the camels chin, you will need to rest the clone tool often and work more slowly. Adjust your brush size if you need to.

Be sure to align the horizon line which is immediately behind where the chain meets the strap.

For that last tiny bit, you'll want to switch to a hard-edged brush to get a sharp line under the camel's chin.

To finish it off, use the sharpen tool with a large, soft brush, set to about 12-15% pressure and brush over the camel's head and neck to bring it into focus and make it pop out a bit more.

That's it!

Practice Image: clonepractice3.jpg

Before

After:

For more cloning practice, try removing the wreath and bow from above the fireplace in this image.

Some tips on this image:

• Carefully line up the shadow from the ledge of the fireplace and slowly work across from right to left.
• You may start to see a pattern emerging. That's ok. First remove the object and then you can go back over it with single clicks to minimize the clone pattern.
• You'll notice the wall is lighter on the right than on the left. As you work across, this will become more and more obvious. Again, just finish removing the object, then after the object is removed you can clean up the color of the wall.
• To even out the wall color, pick up the wall color with the eyedropper and use the paintbrush tool in lighten and darken mode to gradually blend the color together.
• On the mantle you may need to use the clone tool some more in lighten or darken mode to even the tone.

Next > Exercise Four & Five