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 • 49 Stamp and it is not unusual to work back and forth between these two tools. The Healing Brush tool can also be configured via the Clone Source panel. The Spot Healing Brush also clones, but with this tool, no sample is required. Simply choose a brush size and drag. The Spot Healing Brush automatically sam- ples surrounding pixels and like magic replaces scratches and spots with seam- less blending. Be aware though that this tool is really useful on smaller areas. The Patch tool is yet another auto cloner. First, encircle an area with the Patch tool. Then press the mouse but- ton and drag the selection outline to the location that you want to sample. As you drag, you'll see the content appear in the selected area. When you find a good match, release the mouse and Baddah Bing! the content is pasted into your selection. Similar to the Healing Brush, the content is seamlessly blended with its surrounding pixels, and also similar to the Healing Brush, flaring can occur (see Figure 7). Content Awareness One other feature worth mention- ing in this clone-fest extravaganza is the Content Aware Fill feature. It's not a tool but a way of filling areas with content sampled from the image. Most of the time it works pretty well providing that your target area is not too large. First, select the destination area. I find that slightly overlapping an adjacent texture by just a few pixels with the selection out- line can help determine the fill content. Choose Edit > Fill > Content Aware. The software will assess the adjacent areas and fill them with the appropriate con- tent. It's a real time saver when it works, or even if the results aren't perfect you can always go back and tweak the filled areas with the old reliable Clone Stamp to retouch areas that have unwanted con- tent (see Figure 8). So that's it in a nutshell. A big part of the image editing process is resolved with just a few core techniques. Of course these methods require skill and a close examination with your own critical eye to assure that the results are perfect. SDG Malinda Chauvala Make It Urz makeiturz.com Speedy 300 60W Speedy 300 • Available in 30w - 120w • 29" x 17" working area • CeramiCore ceramic laser source • JobControl X • InPack Technology TM • Ready for flexx Differentiate your business - Call us today! 866-226-8505 www.troteclaser.com Malinda wanted to start her own laser engraving business. "We did a great deal of research on different lasers and we found that Trotec had a lot of features that we wanted, and the engineering was solid. Since a down machine will do us no good, it was important that we have a dependable piece of machinery." Trotec lasers are built to last. The flatbed lasers feature InPack Technology TM which protects sensitive components, like optics, mechanics, and electronics, from dust created during production. This means that a Trotec laser will be running for years to come with minimal operating costs. Trotec's engraving table range up to 59 x 49 inches and up to 400 watts laser power. With speeds up to 140" per second, you can produce more profit in less time with a Trotec laser. "Our Speedy 300 has done everything we have asked it to do and it has been through quite a bit. It is an extremely well built machine. "