strange artifacts introduced by Spot Healing Brush

[bartonlew]

I am experiencing strange behavior by the Spot Healing Brush.  I am on a Layer I created above my main image Layer which I have turned into a Smart Object.  I am using the Spot Healing Brush there with Sample All Layers selected, to build out the tile border on the left side.  This is working but strange artifacts are also being introduced, as can be seen in the screenshot where there is a whitish rectangular shape resting inside the frame of the image and slightly overlapping the white tile, mainly on the vertical and to a less extent on the horizontal.  I notice when I paint with the Spot Healing Brush that it is not a dark grayish color when I initially paint before it paints in the content, but whitish, with shapes and gridlike patterns interspersed.  Does anyone know what could be happening?  Thanks.

[Mohammad.Harb]

I suggest trying one of the following:

1- re-arrange the layer on the very top and try again,

2- this might be caused of the bit depth (16 bit) , switch to 8 bit and give it a try

3- change the settings to “proximity match”

from the option bar instead of content-aware

4- press ctrl + alt + shift + E which will create a new merged version of visible layers and apply the spot healing

[bartonlew]

Thank you.  I now have a more serious problem which I have posted separately to the forum.  These artifacts are now appearing when I enable the layers above the smart object layers where I did pixel edits to these layers.  If I don't make these "pixel edit" layers visible which are essentially blank layers where I either used the clone/stamp or spot healing brush, then the layer below appears fine.  But if I turn on the pixel edit layer which I created above the Smart Object, these artifacts appear. 

I converted the file to 8 bit as you suggested, but this did not change things. 

[JJMack]

Your screen capture shows you do not have sample all layer checked and the thumbnail of the target layer looks like it has some shape and is all white but is being covered by content in layer above the target layer.  Do you have an active hidden selection?