The Clone Stamp Tool: Problem 'depositing' a selection - can you help?

[Dawn Chorus]

Hi all,

The Clone Stamp Tool is driving me nuts!

I can capture my target selection perfectly well but when I click and drag the selection to where I want it to be copied I am unable to deposit it.  I can see the desired result when my mouse (or Wacom pen) is hovering over the area I want to drop the selection onto but I when I click to deposit the selection nothing happens.

Hope this makes sense because I am desperate for some help!

Thank in advance,

Amy

[Ned Murphy]

You should find the forum for whichever product this concerns and post your question(s) there.

Here is a link to a page that has links to all Adobe forums...

Forum links page: https://forums.adobe.com/welcome

[Dawn Chorus]

Sorry - it's Photoshop and I thought I had posted it in the Photoshop forum?  (I clicked on the PS link before writing my mail)

[JJMack]

What are you actually using and what sequence of steps are you using?

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[Grant H]

The clone stamp tool you select the source of the image that you wish to clone to a different area, and then you "paint" that area. So I'm not sure if using it incorrectly or if you are referring to something else, maybe a screenshot will help.

[Dawn Chorus]

Hi Grant,

No, I'm referring to exactly the clone stamp tool you describe.  My issue is that having selected the source of the pixels and successfully cloned them (using option click on my Mac) I am unable to paint them where I want on the image. I click and drag the the cloned pixels but cannot use them to paint.  Not sure how I can demonstrate that in a screen shot...

Does that help at all?

Amy

[Grant H]

Are you creating a selection where you want to source from? (thats not required if that be the case) but if you dont deselect then you wont be able to paint outside the selection. To be honest I'm little bit confused what steps were taken to clone.

[Norman Sanders · Accepted solution]

Just to review the use of the Clone tool.

1. Choose the clone tool and adjust the size of the cursor. The Mode in the Options bar should be set to Normal, Opacity 100%. The size of the Source area may be 25 pixels (noted in the Options bar) soft edged, for example.

2. Position the cursor over the Source area, hold down the Option key and click.  Then release the Option key

3. Move to the point where you would like to deposit the Source information

4. Press down and either click or drag in the Target area. As you do, the selected Source area will deposit its information in the adjacent Target area.

Is that your method?

NOTE: If before you start, you choose Window > Clone Source, you will find adjustments that may be made to the tool: to flip the Target, show/hide a preview of the Source image and make other adjustments..

[Bojan Živković]

Just to add my $0.02 to excellent answer above: it can be crucial to check what is chosen from the Sample drop-down list in the Options bar. You can clone on blank new layer to work non-destructively but clone source must be covered from the Sample list: choose All Layers or Current & Below if you are working on separate blank layer.

[D Fosse]

So now we have the three ways this can go wrong:

• there's an active selection
• wrong blend mode
• sampled from or targeting wrong layer

And perhaps also

• opacity/flow turned down

[Dawn Chorus]

Thank you everyone. Problem solved.  If anyone's interested, in the end it was my technique with the mouse that was at fault.  Blending modes, opacity, and sampling all correct.  What I was failing to do was to drag the cloned sample to the area I wished to correct (instead I was moving the cursor to the cloned area and then clicking and dragging).  So, all good.  And heartfelt thanks to you all.  Really appreciate your help and input.

[Knapptime123]

Ugh! I've read all the comments and still can't get the cloning tool to work. I'm using PhotoShop 21.1.2.

I've got the setting right, but still can't place what I've cloned. Same problem as you had at first. Not sure about needing to drag the cloned bit, but I've tried that too. And in the history, it shows that I've used the clone tool multiple times.

I sure wish PhotoShop didn't change the basics every time they upgrade. It's like learning it all over again.

Do you know if there's a way to communicate with an Adobe representative?

Thanks for listening.

[Leslie26886680fcdz]

I absolutely cannot use clone tool currently. I got a new macbook air and clone stamp does not work as it did on my old mac. I have the tool selected, find what I want to copy, use the option key, then when I hover over the part I want to deposit the pixels on, it shows the new pixels, but I am unable to "deposit" them with a click on the mouse, like I used to be able to do. Why? aggggggghhhhh