The Clone Tool is used to replace a piece of a photo with a different piece of the photo. It’s used most commonly for removing unwanted objects and correcting any damage, and is such a useful tool for scrappers.
Tutorial: Using the Clone Tool to Remove Objects or Scenery
...or in my case, a photo-bombing leg.
You can see that the original picture is completely improved with only the filters, but my husband stepped into the shot and it was messing with the feel of my layout. Off with the leg! Just kidding. But I am going to erase it from the photo.
If I were printing these photos for a paper/paste layout, I would go through the cloning process over the whole picture - just in case the crop changed once I started my layout. But because I'm creating a digital layout PLUS I'm lazy, I don't want to have to go through the whole cloning process on the parts of the photo I don't need.
So before I begin, I clip my photo to the size mask I want for my layout. Select the clone tool. It’s right next to the eraser tool and looks like a stamp.
Hold down option and select an area of the photo that will blend well with the part that needs to be erased. I had plenty of clear sidewalk to choose from. You can change the size of the selection brush by tapping the left and right bracket keys. Let go of the option key and carefully click down on the parts of the photo you want to hide.
Repeat this process until it’s all covered up.
And the finished layout without the leg -
So that's all there is to it. It's a pretty handy little tool.
I hope you've enjoyed my tutorial today!
