Adobe Photoshop Tutorials

Sometimes using the Clone Stamp Tool isn’t the best option – we need the Healing Brush.

The Healing Brush Tool is a relative newcomer to Photoshop’s toolset. While the Clone Stamp Tool can tackle most image editing jobs, some tasks are better suited to this related tool. When you use the Clone Stamp what you sample is what you get; this can make it hard to hide the involvement of the Clone Stamp Tool on textured surfaces.

Let’s look at how the two tools tackle a typical cosmetic enhancement job. Lets say your facial image has a spot, the odd freckle and a dry skin blemish near her nose. Using the Clone Stamp we’ve sampled a clear patch of skin and sprayed it over the spot. Because the Clone Stamp sampled an area of skin with a slightly different hue we can see the skin graft quite clearly.

For minor blemishes, the Healing Brush Tool has a big advantage over the Clone Stamp. The Healing Brush works by sampling both the source pixels and the destination pixels; it then mixes between the samples to create a perfect blend. Treat it like the Clone Stamp, and [Alt]/[Option]-Click to take a sample. When you start to spray the effect doesn’t look that convincing.

It’s only when you let go of the mouse button after spraying some sampled pixels that the Healing Brush works its magic. Once it has averaged out the values of the source and destination pixels, you won’t be able to tell what’s been edited. Reduce the brush size for more subtle healing, on areas such as the red patch of skin by the nose.