The Clone Tool
Paint Shop Pro



The Paint Shop Pro Clone Tool takes pixels from one place, layer or picture and moves them to another place, layer or picture.

According to the Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Help file the tool :"Removes flaws and objects by painting over them with another part of the image".

This is one of the first tools that people start messing with when they first open Paint Shop Pro because it is just flat out fun to use.

Producing good results with it is more than just blasting away.  For best results you need to take into account a number of different things, especially the source point.

The tool works well with a mouse but works much better with a Wacom Bamboo or a Wacom Intuos tablet.

The Clone Tool is used in many different digital imaging projects, such as ...
  • Removing an item from an image.
  • Adding an item to an image.
  • Moving an item from one photograph to another photograph.
  • Removing blemishes on skin (zits, freckles, discolorations, etc).
  • Repairing damaged photographs.

The Tools


clone hlp


These three tools live together in the toolbar and the keyboard shortcut for all of them is C.

Source - the place where the pixels are coming from - aka the good pixels.  Effective selection of a good source is the key to doing a good job replacing pixels.  The hue and saturation (color and darkness) need to be as close as possible to the area surrounding the destination.  

clone sourceDestination - the pixels you are going to replace - aka the unwanted pixels.

Aligned Mode - if this is checked the Source will follow you around the screen even after your lift the pen or release the left mouse button.  If Aligned is not checked then the Source will always return to the initial point you set after you lift the pen or release the left mouse button.

Use All Layers - with this box checked you can add a new layer, set your Source on the layer and Clone to that layer.  It tends to prevent destruction of the original image.

clone

Continuous - when this box is checked the paint you are laying down does not build on itself and if it is not checked then the paint does build on itself.

Brush Variance - the Paint Shop Pro Clone tool is pressure sensitive which is really fabulous. Setting the variance to Opacity or Density makes it much easier to produce really seamless clones.

The other two tools in the flyout are the Scratch Remover and the Object Remover.  

The Scratch Remover is amazing!

As a matter of fact, I used the Scratch Remover on a photograph with a really nasty scratch. Before using the Paintshop Scratch Remover I used the Photoshop Clone Tool (Version CS) on the same scratch - for about 1 hour.

The Paintshop Scratch Remover took about 5 minutes and the end result was just as good, if  not better, than the Photoshop Clone Tool!

The Object Remover is effective but it can be a bit fiddly.

Both of these tools are demonstrated in the video.

clone scratch remover clone object remover
Scratch Remover Object Remover


Learning Center


Tools clone clone scratch clone object
Learning
Center
 clone learning center clone scratch remover clone object remover


Using The Clone Tool


  1. Examine your image and decide on the best source point - when you have it Right Click on it.  If you are using a Wacom tablet you will find it much easier to:

    • change the Opacity setting in Brush Variance to Pressure, and
    • program one of the  Express Keys on the tablet as a Right Click.

  2. Move your pen over to the edge of the destination and start painting away to cover the unwanted pixels - go lightly and watch the results carefully.  Be sure to zoom in tightly so you can see what you are doing and selecting the best Source.

  3. Change the Source from time to time to avoid getting any annoying and distracting patterns on your image because - everyone's eyes will find them immediately and keep going back there as if it is the only thing in the picture - those annoying patterns that scream "newbie"!

The best way to become proficient is to practice a lot. Try out the other two removing tools as well, the Scratch Remover and the Object Remover.


The Scratch Remover 

I was working with the Clone Tool to remove a rather large scratch in a photo restoration page for my site using Photoshop.  It took about a couple of hours and multiple layers to produce satisfactory results.

I loaded the same image in Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 and worked on the same scratch with the Scratch Remover.  To completely remove the scratch took almost five minutes and I was working slowly!  

This is an amazing tool in Paint Shop Pro!


Video
Paint Shop Pro Clone Tool

Thanks for your time and be sure to let me know if you have any questions!

On Page Links

The Tools

Learning Center

Cloning

Scratch Remover

Video

Video Tutorial

Its very challenging to describe how to effectively use these three tools on a text page - so why go to all that trouble when we have a great screen recorder (Camtasia Studio) and You Tube?

So - watch the video .... you will find it at the bottom of the page!




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