5 Practical Tips with Photoshop's Clone Stamp Tool

Download the Practice File: http://www.f64.co/5Clone
The Whole Cleanup Tools Course: http://www.f64.co/cleanup

The Clone Stamp Tool, love it or hate it, it’s fantastic!
I have conducted many tutorials that in some way shape or form involve the Clone Stamp Tool, but I don’t think I have ever given my “down and dirty” practical tips for it. Recently I created a course called Photoshop foundations: Cleanup Tools, and it focuses on all the primary cleanup tools in Photoshop.

The Clone Stamp Tool, while valuable, is not the primary star in this show. The course covers the Patch Tool, the Healing Brushes, Custom Selections, Content Aware and much more!

While I was recording the course, it occurred to me just how much I love the Clone Stamp Tool. I used it to show how to remove a car and a few people in the image below. While I was editing the video, I continued to Clone, and Clone some more, until I had cloned out all the cars and all the people using only the data available in the image.

Needless to say, It was AWESOME! I had so much fun. Yes, I need to get out of the office more…

So because I am still on cloud nine from all that cloning, I have some advice for you today with the Clone Stamp Tool. These are five efficient tips that will have you mastering the Clone Stamp Tool in no time!

You can watch the whole tutorial below or snag Cliff’s Notes here:

Keep it Simple. Keep the brush simple don’t overthink it. A nice soft round brush is all you need.
Always Clone on a New Layer. I typically do all my cloning first before my significant edits in PS, and I do them on a new layer.
Find Similar areas to clone with. Try to find areas that are similar, so the cloning looks natural but avoid at all costs my next point.
Avoid Repeated Patterns. Any patterns that repeat over and over in an image where there shouldn’t be repeated patterns is a dead giveaway you used a tool you weren’t very good with.
Clone on Multiple Layers. Cloning on multiple layers allows you to move and manipulate pieces while you edit.