Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/370309
S I G N & D I G I T A L G R A P H I C S • September 2014 • 47 resume cloning that the cursor will main- tain the same distance from the sample point. An Unaligned Clone happens when the box is unchecked. After you've cloned an area and released the mouse and then depressed to resume cloning, the cursor samples the original point, which will replicate an area that has already been painted. Clone Source The Clone Stamp tool can be precisely configured by accessing the Clone Source panel (see Figure 6). This panel controls the offset of the sample point. The X and Y values determine the distance in pixels from the cursor that the sample will be taken. The height, width and angle of the sample can also be controlled so that you can increase or decrease the size, or change the shape and angle of the sample. The opacity of the clone can be varied, which can be a real asset when trying to blend edges. Furthermore, clone settings can be saved for use on other layers or documents. Other Clone Options Three additional tools are available that produce clone-like results and are primarily used for retouching. The Healing Brush is very similar to the clone tool in the way it operates. Like the clone tool it samples areas to be cloned with the Opt/Alt key, but deposits the cloned pixels differently. When you paint with the Healing Brush, the cloned pixels are automatically blended into the surrounding areas so that the clone is seamless. This works well except if there are adjacent areas that require an abrupt edge, in which case you might see flar- ing or darkening. Of course these areas can be further refined with the Clone Figure 6: The Clone Stamp can be precisely configured using the Clone Source panel. Cloning can patch and fill areas that have been damaged—and just as useful, it can help elimi- nate unwanted image content.