This short primer takes you through a basic description and tryout task for each of the tools in the second section of the Photoshop toolbar. This group of tools (some of which you will have used already) is primarily for applying retouching effects to images, in short, drawing on or copying/coming pixels to repair or enhance. Some of the tools have very similar functions (for example the Healing brush and the Clone tool) but there will be subtle differences in how the tools work and how they should be used.
The Healing brush (highlighted left) has three tool options:
The Healing brush itself, which acts very similarly to the clone tool, but is set to blend into the image automatically.
The Patch tool, which allows you to define an area of pixels that will be cloned.
The Color Replacement tool,
which allows you to choose a foreground colour and have it replace any coloured pixels that you 'paint over'.
Download an image to practice on, either by using this link, or by clicking on the thumbnail image above.
Zoom in on the large mole close to the strap of the girl's dress and then select the Healing brush. The tool options will change in the tool bar and you can change how the brush works using the drop down dialogue shown (left). Alter the brush diameter and the Hardness setting (probably around 50% will do).
The tool is very silimar to the clone tool. Hold down the ALT key and click in a good area close to the mole. Then with one click paint on top of the mole. The Healing brush when used carefully also 'blends' the copied pixels into the image, more subtlely than the Clone tool. Don't forget that you can paint your cloned pixels onto a new layer to preserve the original.
The patch tool allows you to select a particular area to 'clone'. The simplest way to use it is as follows:
Select the Patch tool from the flyout. Then use it to select a 'good' area of he image to clone. Right click on your selection and from the flyout choose 'Use Patch as Destination'. Then move over the area you want to repair and 'brush' the cloned patch on.
Practice this on the first image (either load a new copy or use the undo command to return it to its original state).
The Colour Replacement Tool is also quite subtle and would usually be used for two things; first to 'clean up' a blemished area (i.e. skin) or as a a red eye removal tool.
Practise cleaning up an area of skin on the girl's cheek in the image. Select the tool, then set the foreground colour to use as our 'new' colour by clicking on the foreground colour swatch. Ignore the Colour Picker dialogue and put your cursor over the image in a light area of the cheek. You will see the cursor change to the Eyedropper. Click once to select a colour. Then start 'painting' over a darker area on her cheek. You might want to experiment with the tool settings.
Don't forget to save versions of the retouched image with new file name(s) and then create your evidence sheet with different versions of the image and the original.