Clone Stamp Tool has Strange Behavior

[Jack]

Normally when using the clone stamp tool, after I select a source region on my image and begin to drag toward the target region, the source is painted into the target. However, on this startup of Photoshop, when I hold down the left mouse button, a white disc appears within my brush, and no 'painting' takes place. I have tried (a) resetting Photoshop tool settings, and (b) shutting down and restarting my iMacS High Sierra 10.13.2. Nothing helps.

any ideas appreciated as always,

jwc

[Barb Binder]

What version of Photoshop?

[Jack]

Photoshop Creative Cloud v.  19.0

Sent from my iPhone

[Personal info removed by moderator - please do not post phone numbers]

[davescm]

Hi

Check the brush mode and sample source for the clone tool.

If both are OK - try resetting the tool:

Dave

[Jack]

Tried resetting the tool. No change in behavior. I’m still seeing white interior within the brush.

jwc

[davescm]

Hi

Can you take a screenshot of the full screen when using the tool (include the layers panel and the options bar)

Dave

[Adams Studio]

Reboot your PC or Mac, usually works for me when things get messed up!

[Jack]

I have tried that, without success. Next step will be to uninstall and reinstall Photoshop.

Sent from my iPhone

[Jack]

I don’t know how else to explain this: upon returning to PS with intent to uninstall and reinstall, I found that (a) initially I had the white interior, then (b) after once more selecting a source region, the white-interior behavior disappeared. I have no clue how rhia cured itself; hoping it will not return.

Soon I will upgrade to v. 19.1 (just announced), after finishing my current project.

Thanks to all of you for your advice.

Best,

jwc

[Jack]

Spoke too soon.

The problem of white interior in source suddenly, spontaneously returned. Uninstalled and reinstalled Photoshop, to no avail. Screen shots will follow in about 8 h.

jwc

[mglush]

Hi Jack!

Is the white circle in the brush as feathered circle--like a soft edge brush? Does it show up only before you select a Clone source? Once you make the selection does it disappear?

Thanks,

Michelle

[Jack]

Yes, soft edges, and yes, before selecting a source.

jwc

[Jack]

Unable to retrieve the earlier suggestion to upload a screen shot. Here Would you please repeat your request, repeating some idea of what is to appear in the screen shot, where it can be found, etc.

Earlier today I tried  the following. Both again resulted in the ‘strange behavior’:

  — Opened a different image on my iMac

  — Opened the original image (the one that first gave me the problem) on a Windows computer

What is also weird was that, about 24-36 h. ago, the system actually ‘behaved itself with one image, prior to reverting to the problems described earlier.

If any of you are willing to open a direct, back-channel dialog with me using eMail, and possibly including remote access via TeamViewer [Link removed]I would be receptive to that as well.

Best,

jwc

[Personal data removed - please do not post personal data on the public forum]

[davescm]

Hi

A full screenshot showing the brush , the layers panel, options bar etc would be helpful in understanding your issue.

Please be very careful about remote access. There are warnings on the forum about folk fraudulently gaining access to PCs under the guise of "helping" and passing themselves off as support staff. Only those with the Red staff badge work for Adobe. The rest of us are just volunteer users. I would restrict any form of remote access only to those I know and trust.

Dave

[Jack · Accepted solution]

Hello, Dave,

Forcing me actually to look at the layers panel ‘broke the code’ for me. I was trying to do the cloning within an adjustment. Reverting to the background panel cleared the ‘white disc' problem.\

Best,

jwc

[mglush]

Good morning Jack!

Since Dave answered your question about what we would need to see in a screen shot, I just have one more question. What is your brush cursor set to? If you are unfamiliar with where to go to find that information, open up your preferences and select brush cursor. On the Mac, choose the Photoshop menu, and select preferences, on the PC, I believe you Select the Edit menu and choose preferences. Is your cursor set to standard? If not, change it to standard, and let us know if you still have the problem.

Michelle

[Jack]

Thanks, Michelle. Problem solved (see reply to Dave). Regardless, I tried to follow your steps; did not find a 'brush cursor' option. What I _did_ find was Photoshop | Preferences | Cursors | Painting Cursors (Normal Brush Tip), Other Cursors (Standard), and Preview Color (Red by default). Just FYI.

Many thanks to all of you,

jwc

[mglush]

Great! I'm glad you found the problem. You are correct, I should have said cursor! (I am currently not on my home computer where I can open up Photoshop). Glad to hear it's resolved.

Michelle

[Jack]

Just to follow up (what I did not realize earlier): in order to get rid of the white disc within the clone stamp tool, one also needs to flatten a multi-layer image.

Therefore, the best workflow is to:

— First, do all cloning, canvas resizing, etc.

— Then, create any needed adjustment layers, thus avoiding need to flatten prior to cloning.

In my case I was working with an hdr composite of raw images. Then I found the need to adjust canvas, clone into the adjusted canvas, found the white disc, etc.

This experience has served to crystallize a few workflow rules for the future. I thought this might be useful for others as well.

jwc

[davescm]

Jack

Hi

You do not need to flatten to clone. In fact , so that I can alter any adjustments later, I almost always clone to an empty layer.

What you do need to do though is set the appropriate sample options in the options bar :

Dave

[Russell Lord]

Same issue. This is a bug.

[jackv68951644 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I have the same problem! i just found the problem!

Simply go to Window-Clone Source and untick INVERT (in the bottom right)

Jack

[Anastasiia0101]

Wow! I was struggling with this issue all day today, thank you for helping me out 🤓

[tim_e]

This is an old thread but I was having a similar 'white disc issue', if you go window-clone source you can uncheck 'show overlay' which should get rid of the disc, also if you have 'sample all layers' checked in the clone stamp bar it might not just be a white disc.

[Debra. · Accepted solution]

I tried all of the above suggestions but discovered in the end that my layer order was the problem - I was trying to clone out something that was above the clone layer. On the upside, I learned a bit more about PS.