painting inside a masked selection

[bartonlew]

I want to replace the area of the mailbox that is shown as canvas in the 2nd screen shot below using the clone stamp tool to add in information from the adjoining areas in the background.  However, I'm not sure how well this will work, so I created a mask so that I could preserve this area in case it doesn't and I need to add it back.  I also duped the layer.  Now, how can I use the clone stamp tool to try adding in content to the blank canvas only?  I hoped there was some tool that would only paint on blank canvas, but if so, I don't find it.  Thank you.

[Chuck Uebele]

Change the sampling method to All Layers. Also try the new content aware fill. It does a pretty good job.

[bartonlew]

Thanks, Chuck.  I am new to working with masks.  My question is, how do I block off the mailbox and paint only in the canvas area?  Make a selection of the mailbox edge and select Select>Inverse?  I could have done that without creating the mask, but creating the mask in the copied layer preserves the content.  Is there a different way to approach this? 

[Chuck Uebele]

Make the selection and use the new content aware fill.

[Chuck Uebele]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=%23&ved=2ahUKEwi124yo87HeAhUBJt8KHfH7BNAQwqsBMA...

[bartonlew]

That link takes me to a blank screen with https://www.google.com/url showing in the url.

Is there a way to automatically select the canvas area without manually selecting it again?  If so, please tell me what I need to have active (mask, pixels) in addition to what I need to do.  Thank you.

[Chuck Uebele]

Try this link: How To Use The NEW Content-Aware Fill in Photoshop CC 2019 - MUST-KNOW New Feature - YouTube

[bartonlew]

Thanks, Chuck.  I watched the video.  However, after making my selection and then selecting the Content Aware Fill, and painting around out the areas I don't want PS to sample, in the preview window, I got a small section of the mailbox - top left - showing.  Any idea why this is happening? 

[Chuck Uebele]

Maybe you missed a section. Not sure.

[bartonlew]

Hmmm, not sure what you mean.  The video said make a selection; open the Content Aware Fill; and your selection will be filled.  Oh well.  I'll just select>inverse around the mailbox and then clone stamp in my selection.  It'll be destructive but if I do it well enough, that won't matter.  I always resave the original anyway.