Lines & Edges with the Clone Stamp Tool

In the first two episodes of our object removal series, we covered most of the major tools in Photoshop that can help us remove distractions from our images. In this episode, we’re going to dive in a little deeper.

The images we used in episodes one and two were both relatively easy to clean up as they had fairly simple backgrounds to work with. Our example image for this episode will ramp up the difficulty while helping us explore one of the more powerful tools for object removal, the Clone Stamp Tool.

Aside from just being busier and more complicated than the previous examples, this image features one of the trickier things to work around while doing object removal: lines and edges. And when working around the lines and edges, as you may recall us mentioning, there’s no better tool for the job than the Clone Stamp.

Clone Stamp Tool Settings

Before digging into how to use the Clone Stamp Tool, there’s a couple settings that we can take advantage of that will help us work a little easier.

If you know PHLEARN, you know that we always preach the importance of a non-destructive workflow. That means that any and all adjustments should happen on new Layers–we should never directly edit our background image. That being the case, we’ll want to make sure that we’re using the Clone Stamp Tool on a new, blank Layer.

In order to do this, make sure that the Sample setting is set to Current & Below. This option tells Photoshop to use information from every Layer underneath our new Layer (as well as from the Layer itself once there’s image data on it).

We’re going to be using the Clone Stamp Tool to copy lines and edges from one area and paint them over another. Being able to see what we’ve sampled will make our lives much easier when trying to line things up.

To enable a preview of the sampled area, open the Window menu and select the Clone Source option.

A dialog will open–just make sure that the Show Overlay option is checked. This will enable a live preview of what you’re about to paint with.

How to Use the Clone Stamp Tool

Now that we’re set up, let’s jump into how to use the Clone Stamp Tool to work around line and edge detail in an image.

Zooming in on the roof area of the building, there are some wires and objects that we want to get rid of. But notice that they’re surrounded by the lines and edges of other elements of the building. We need to remove those unwanted bits without distorting any of the structural details.

First, create a new, blank Layer above the background image. Select the Clone Stamp Tool. After analyzing the area where the object is that you want to remove, find another spot in the image with a similar edge but that’s clear of any unwanted objects. Hold ALT or OPTN to Sample that area.

Once you’ve sampled a clean edge, move the cursor until you can easily see a preview of the Clone Stamp. Notice that the preview shows exactly what you’ll be painting with: an exact copy of the edge you sampled.

With that sampled area active, use the preview to line it up with edge around the object you want to remove. Then start painting over the object. Photoshop will continue to pull information from the sampled area, moving the sample point relative to the direction you paint.

You should be able to cover up the unwanted object while maintaining a clean, straight edge. But what if you missed when initially lining up the preview? Since you’re working on a new Layer, you can simple use the Move Tool to move the Layer into the correct position.

It’s even a good idea to continually create new Layers as you use the Clone Stamp, that way each edit can be moved and adjusted independently. Once you’ve successfully removed the object, you’re free to Group these Layers together, or merge them together if you’re happy with the result.

Backgrounds like this can be challenging, and can take a lot of time to clean up since you’ll need to rely more heavily on manual removal tools. Continue working around the image, removing as many distractions as possible. Stick to the Clone Stamp Tool for anything that’s near any lines or edges, but don’t forget to practice the other removal tools we covered in the previous episodes!

How to Remove Distractions in Photoshop

When we talk about removing distractions from photos in Photoshop, we’re really talking about covering them up. Our process involves creating new, blank Layers, and then using object removal tools to paint over distractions to hide them from view.

Photoshop has a variety of tools that take information from elsewhere in a photo and use it to cover up anything we paint over. For example, let’s say you have a landscape photo that you love, but there’s a plane in the sky that’s too distracting. You just need a way to cover up the plane, pulling information from the sky and clouds around it.

Working Non-Destructively

As with any work we do in Photoshop, it’s important to work non-destructively so that we can get back to our unedited, original image at any time. This is especially important with object removal, as the process can often require multiple tools and attempts to get it looking good.

The great thing about the tools we’ll be using is that they all can be used on New Layers. That means you can create a new Layer above the image, paint on that Layer while pulling information from the image below, and then disable or remove that Layer if you ever want to get back to the original photo.

The Spot Healing Brush Tool

The Spot Healing Brush should be your go-to when you start any object removal. It’s an automated tool that usually make quick work of distractions that are on a relatively simple background. The image we’re using is a good example of a background you might see or use during a studio shoot. A solid-colored backdrop with a few props spread around the scene. This is a great situation to use the Spot Healing Brush to start things off.

The Spot Healing Brush is an automated tool that makes object removal very easy under the right circumstances. However, before using it, make sure that a couple of options are turned on so that you get the results you want and so you can work on a new blank Layer.

The first is Content-Aware. This option instructs Photoshop to automatically pull in color and texture from similar surfaces in the image. It will use these colors and textures to fill in areas as you paint over them.

The second option is Sample All Layers. This tells Photoshop to pull information from all of the Layers in a project. This makes it so you can paint with the Spot Healing Brush on a new, blank Layer while pulling the information from the image below. This is what lets us work non-destructively!

Once those options are set, create a new Layer above the image and begin painting over the object you want to remove. We recommend painting in small areas first. Working with larger sections will often lead to strange and unrealistic results. As you paint, Photoshop will work its magic and pull all the information in that it needs to create a realistic fill.

Keep in mind that, while the Spot Healing Brush is fast and powerful, it won’t always get the job done right the first time. It might take several passes over the same area to get a large object covered up. And even then, it might leave behind some noticeable evidence of Photoshopping.

After removing a large softbox, Photoshop had some trouble filling in that space with even texture and lighting. There is a noticeable blotchiness that makes it obvious that something was removed. This is not uncommon, especially when removing larger objects. When the Spot Healing Brush doesn’t cut it, it’s time to turn to a slightly more manual tool to even things out. Enter the Healing Brush!

The Healing Brush

The Healing Brush is similar to the Spot Healing Brush, but it allows you to choose an area to sample. When you sample an area, Photoshop will pull the texture from that spot and try to blend it with the color of the area where you paint.

This gives you more control over blending different areas of slightly different lighting and texture together.

Just like with the Spot Healing Brush, make sure that you’re working on a new Layer so that you can get back to the original photo or undo your changes at any time!

The Clone Stamp Tool

The Healing Brush and Spot Healing Brush work great over top of simple backgrounds. But what if you have to work around hard edge or continuous details? In our example image, we need to remove a light that is sitting in front of a line where the wall meets the floor. We need to preserve that line, otherwise the removal will look extremely unrealistic. This is where the Clone Stamp Tool shines.

The Clone Stamp Tool allows you to sample an area and then paint an exact copy of that area wherever you want. So if we want to make sure that line along the edge of the floor continues, we can sample it from another area of the photo, paint it on to a new Layer, and then place the copy where we need it to go.

Once the new section of floor has been placed and everything has been lined up, you can use a Layer Mask to blend the new section in with the original surroundings. But you’ll notice still that the lighting doesn’t quite match up.

Simply use a Curves Adjustment Layer to adjust the light levels to match the new surrounding area!

With some minor adjustments and blending, the new section of floor should fit in seamlessly. We’ve removed the light, the light stand, and managed to maintain continuity across all of the major elements that make up the background.

Removing Logos and Branding in Photoshop

In truth, removing text, logos, and branding is a similar process to removing any sort of object and distraction in a photo. Some removal is relatively simple; such as a small amount of text on a plain, single-colored background. And some removal can get extremely complex; such as logos over top of detailed backgrounds containing lines, edges, different colors, and lighting. The most important thing to remember is that any removal will usually require a couple of different tools to get the job done right. Knowing what tools to use and how to combine them will not only help you take care of these issues faster, but will also end in a much more realistic result.

Removing objects is so in-depth that we have entire PRO course dedicated to mastering all of the necessary tools and techniques. Check out How to Remove Anything in Photoshop to learn more!

The Tools of the Trade

There are a wide variety of tools that help us remove objects in Photoshop. There are also a handful of tools that aren’t directly related to object removal, but can help a great deal when it comes to improving precision and recreating texture and details. We’ll be taking a look at these tools today:

Object Removal Tools

• Spot Healing Brush Tool
• Healing Brush Tool
• Clone Stamp Tool
• Brush Tool

Other Helpful Tools

• Pen Tool/Selections
• Noise Filter

Let’s get started!

The Spot Healing Brush & Healing Brush

Whenever you first try to remove text, logos, or branding from an image, one tool should be your go-to before all others: the Spot Healing Brush Tool. Why? Simply put, it is the fastest way to get the job done. If it can’t do it alone, it’s also the best way to get object removal started before finishing it off with tools that might be a little more manual or precise.

Before we go any further, it’s extremely important to keep a non-destructive workflow in mind throughout the entire process and no matter what tool you’re using. That means creating new Layers and making sure certain options are selected that will allow you to work on a blank Layer using information from other Layers in the project. For the Spot Healing Brush Tool, there is a checkbox labeled Sample All Layers. Make sure this is checked! This option allows you to work on a new, blank Layer while still pulling all of the photo information you need from every other Layer.

Here you can see that we have the Spot Healing Brush active, a new Layer created and selected, and the Sample All Layers checkbox is checked. Now we can paint over the things we want to remove in the photograph and Photoshop will use the information from the background Layer to make the magic happen. There will be similar settings for every other tool we work with. Just remember to always work on a new Layer for each tool that you use; never work on the background Layer directly!

Once all of that is ready to go, the Spot Healing Brush is very easy to use. Simply paint over the object you want to remove and Photoshop takes care of the rest. We recommend working in small sections at a time, so instead of trying to remove a large area all at once, try painting over portions of it until the entire area has been covered.

Now things may not look great initially, especially if there area has a lot of color variation and detail. You can make multiple passes with the Spot Healing Brush to clean things up, so if it doesn’t look great the first time, try it again and again.

Our initial pass got rid of the logo, but it looks pretty rough. We can make several more passes to clean things up and that will get us most of the way there. But chances are high that we’re going to need a couple of other tools to get it looking seamless. When you need a little bit more control than the Spot Healing Brush offers, try out the standard Healing Brush Tool.

The Healing Brush provides a bit more control. It works by requiring you to first Sample an area that you want to pull texture from. Next, just paint over the area you want to cover up. Photoshop will automatically try to blend the two elements together, taking the texture from where you sampled and blending it with the color from where you paint.

Combing these tools can tackle almost every type of simple object removal you’ll come across. But in our example there are some problem areas that these just can’t handle: lines and edges. For realistic removal, it’s important to maintain perfectly consistent lines and edges with any objects that pass in front of or behind the thing you’re removing. Luckily, Photoshop has a tool perfect for those situations.

The Clone Stamp Tool

The Clone Stamp Tool might be our favorite tool for object removal. The Spot Healing Brush is fast, which we love, but the Clone Stamp Tool is the queen of control and detail. Like the Healing Brush, the Clone Stamp first requires you to Sample an area you want to copy. But instead of trying to blend two areas together, it will create an exact copy of the sampled area wherever you paint.

Say, for example, that you removed part of a logo that overlapped an edge, and now part of that edge is missing. You can use the Clone Stamp Tool to sample an area where that edge is still in tact, and then paint over the area where there is a gap. The Clone Stamp Tool will allow you to fill in the edge so that is continuous.

In the picture above you can see one such example. We removed some text inside of the chrome trim, but had to remove some of the trim in the process. With the Clone Stamp Tool we can Sample some of the trim that was unaffected.

And then paint where the trim was removed, successfully filling the gap and creating a continuous line. Perfect!

So the Clone Stamp Tool is great for lines and edges, but it’s also extremely powerful for standard removal as well. It can be extremely useful when you need to recreate areas of fine detail and texture. Since it’s a 1-for-1 copy, it can create perfect detail where the Spot Healing Brush or Healing Brush might look too muddy or unrefined. Just keep in mind that since it’s an exact copy, you’ll want to take extra care in making sure that there isn’t obvious repetition of patterns and textures.

The Brush Tool

We’ve said it many times before; the Brush Tool can do just about anything. And when it comes to object removal, there is no better option to create soft, seamless areas of blending and gradients. Best suited for relatively plain backgrounds, the Brush Tool excels when you need to recreate colors and gradients, highlights and shadows.

As with the other tools, you just need to Sample the color you want to paint with, and then paint over the area you want to cover up (using a new Layer, of course). For the absolute most control, make sure to use a soft brush set to a low Flow. This allows you to build up the paint effect gradually, helping everything blend together.

Also, make sure that you’re constantly sampling colors from the areas surrounding wherever you paint. In our example above, we’re working with quite a bit of variation in light and color due to the sun rays. To compensate for that, we need to constantly Sample colors and paint them in patterns and shapes that fit with the surrounding environment.

Add Noise & Texture

As much as we try not to, we’re going to lose some of the original texture and detail as we continue to cover up areas of the image using the tools above. But there’s one simple and effective trick to recreate some of that original detail: add noise! Every photograph has some amount of noise present, no matter how low of an ISO it might have been captured at. This noise is often lost when using tools like the Brush Tool or Spot Healing Brush. Creating artificial noise over those areas is a powerful way to blend of all of the object removal Layers with the original background Layer below.

To start, you’ll need a new blank Layer. But unlike the other tools we’ve used, a Noise Filter cannot be applied to a blank Layer, so we need to fill the Layer in with something that can be easily removed after the noise has been applied. An area filled with 50% gray is the perfect option. Why? If we set the Blending Mode of the 50% gray Layer to Overlay, Photoshop will automatically hide any areas that are 50% gray. Thus, we can create a 50% gray block, use an Overlay Blending Mode to hide the color, and then apply a Noise Filter to that area.

In the example above, we did just that. We created a new Layer, used the Rectangular Marquee Tool to create a box around the area we want to add noise to, and then filled that area with 50% gray.

With the gray hidden, go to Filter, Noise, and Add Noise. Set the amount of noise you want, just make sure it closely matches the noise present in the original photograph.

Now let’s blend the noise in so it doesn’t look so obvious and so it is only appears where we removed a logo. Invert the Layer Mask to make the entire noise Layer invisible, then, using a soft brush, paint white on the Layer Mask over the parts of the image where you used the Spot Healing Brush or Brush Tool.

Using Selections for more Control

At this point, you know almost every trick in the book. Almost! There’s one final set of tools that can take our precision and control to a whole new level. Using Photoshops wide array of selection tools, we can carefully define areas that we want to cover and don’t want to cover up. This helps us preserve lines and edges, highlights and shadows, and protect objects and areas that we don’t want to cover up.

When it comes to making selections, there’s no better tool than the Pen Tool. While it takes some practice to learn (which we can certainly help you out with), it is the best way to get clean lines, edges, and curves as you trace around objects in a photo.

In the example above, we have a unique situation where we want to preserve the natural highlights on the helmet so that when we cover up the logo with the Brush Tool, the real reflections of light remain. Use the Pen Tool to trace around each area of highlight, trying to use as few points as possible while maintaining nice, clean curves.

Once you’ve traced each, right-click and click and select Make Selection. This will turn the Pen Tool Paths into selections that will help us define areas where we want and don’t want to paint. By default, this process will select the areas inside of the Paths we made. Since we don’t want to paint over the logo on the helmet, and not over the highlights, we need to Inverse the selection. You can do this by hitting CTRL or CMD + SHIFT + I.

With the highlights protected and helmet area selected, we can use the Brush Tool to Sample the helmet color and then paint over the logo. Notice that the areas of reflection remain in tact! Since some of the logo is still visible in those highlight areas, you can Inverse the selection again and use some of the tools you’ve learned to remove those spots while maintaining the natural color and gradient of the highlights.

How to Remove Distractions

When we talk about removing distractions from photos in Photoshop, we’re really talking about covering them up. Our process involves creating new, blank Layers, and then using object removal tools to paint over distractions to hide them from view.

Photoshop has a variety of tools that use information from elsewhere in a photo and use it to cover up anything we don’t want to see. For example, let’s say you have a landscape photo that you love, but there’s a plane in the sky that’s too distracting. You just need a way to cover up the plane, pulling information from the sky and clouds around it.

The Spot Healing Brush Tool

The Spot Healing Brush should be your go-to when you start any object removal. It’s an automated tool that usually make quick work of distractions that are on a relatively simple background (like a sky!) Using our plane example, we just need to make a new layer (remember to work non-destructively), and then paint over the plane. Photoshop will automatically detect and pull in color and texture information from the surrounding sky and use it to fill in the area over the plane.

This method will help you take care of a lot of small distractions on relatively simple backgrounds. But sometimes you might have some inconsistencies in color (or blotchiness) or the background has too much detail for the Spot Healing Brush to do a realistic job.

The Clone Stamp Tool

When the Spot Healing Brush doesn’t work perfectly, the Clone Stamp Tool can save the day. Now you can still use the Spot Healing Brush to get started, clearing out any major distractions. This oftentimes will give you a great foundation through which you can switch tools to finish the job.

The Clone Stamp Tool works by having you Sample an area of an image, and then allows you to paint with that information, creating an exact copy as you do. So when the Spot Healing Brush has trouble recreating color and texture details, you can swoop in with the Clone Stamp Tool after to add those textures and details back.