Cloning in Corel Photo Paint

[Wendy (UK)]

There is something that puzzles me about cloning in Corel Photo Paint 9 (in Corel Essentials) and I cannot fathom out a way around it. I am unable to fix the source point for cloning. Whether or not I hold down the CTRL key when right clicking to select the source point it then moves in tandom with the brush, which makes editing the tones on a large image a very time consuming affair as I have to constantly reset the source point.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Wendy (UK)
Using Windows 98SE
Corel Draw Essentials (Corel Draw and Photo Paint 9)

[Robin Springall]

I think the cloning tool's meant to work like that: it certainly does the same in Photoshop, and it's normal to have to frequently reset the source point to get a smooth clone.

[Stephen Owades]

I think the cloning tool's meant to work like that: it certainly does the same in Photoshop, and it's normal to have to frequently reset the source point to get a smooth clone.
In Photoshop--at least in Photoshop CS--there's an option for the clone-stamp tool called "Aligned." The help file says the following: Next, determine how you want to align the sampled pixels. Select Aligned in the options bar to sample pixels continuously, without losing the current sampling point, even if you release the mouse button. Deselect Aligned to continue to use the sampled pixels from the initial sampling point each time you stop and resume painting.
With either setting, the source point moves with the brush when you keep the mouse button depressed. If Aligned is not clicked, the same source point is used each time you click the mouse button, so you can clone from the same source spot without resetting. If Aligned is clicked, the source point and brush retain their relative positions with each click, just as they do with continuous (mouse down) painting.

I don't know if this feature exists in Corel PhotoPaint, but it's something to look for, since many of the features in other painting programs are "cloned" from those in Photoshop.

[Wendy (UK)]

Having searched and clicked I cannot find anything in Corel Photo Paint that corresponds to the Aligned option you describe in Photoshop. The only way that I can get a consistant sampling point is to Clone from the "Fill" and from what I can see this is based on colours from selected or mixed from the colour palettes available with the programme rather than a colour or tone selected from the image.

What gave me hope was that in the user manual which came with Corel Essentials it states ....
# Hold down CTRL and click the image to set the source point for the cloning operation.
# Drag in the Image Window. (I'm not quite sure what they mean here)
# If you want to reset the clone source point, hold down CTRL, and click in the image window.
No matter what I do the source point moves in tandem with the brush.

[Andrew B.]

># Drag in the Image Window. (I'm not quite sure what they mean here)

They are talking about making a brush stroke while holding down the mouse button. This is why the source and target stay aligned -- so you can paint in your source without missing part of it. Very useful for cloning long narrow areas. What Photoshop adds to its tool is the option to retain the same starting source point every time you begin a stroke. This still keeps the alignment as the stroke is made. But for dabbing by clicking, or making very short strokes, it is handy for using the same source over and over.

[Wendy (UK)]

Thanks Andrew ........ there are times that I wish the source point would just stay still to give a uniform fill.

[TheGraphicsReport]

I use PP 12, and the clone works differently to the way it does in Photoshop. Alt click on the source and paint wherever. If you need to change the clone source simply move the cursor to the new source and right-click to reset the source point. Although there is no Aligned or Unaligned option, there are a huge variety of clone brushes (about 20) available, you can clone is various "painterly" styles, and the mode and transparency can be changed as you click without having to use a variety of layers.
Not sure how it worked on version 9 but con't imagine it is too much different.
Regards
John

[Wendy (UK)]

Alt click on the source and paint wherever. If you need to change the clone source simply move the cursor to the new source and right-click to reset the source point.

Unfortunately I cannot get that to work in Photo Paint 9 I have tried all the combinations of Alt and mouse clicks that I can think of :(