Baby Crack

[Damien Symonds]

Yeah, you'll need to use a low-opacity clone tool.  I used 20%, I think.

[vbunnell]

Can you help me perfect this please? This is what I get when I sample near the area and clone….. 

[Damien Symonds]

Oh gosh, don't try to clone precisely!!!!!!  Use a big brush.

http://www.damiensymonds.net/2010/10/role-of-masks-when-cloning.html

[vbunnell]

I looked at your tutorial and I'm still getting the same as the above cloning. 

[Damien Symonds]

How big is the brush you're cloning with?  It should be at least as big as two baby toes.

[vbunnell]

I tried a small brush like you said. I don't know how to blend the colors. It's still doing this. 

[Damien Symonds]

No, WHOLE toes.  It should be a big brush.

[vbunnell]

I'm confused. You said to use a brush as big as two baby toes, which is what I did. 

[Damien Symonds]

About this big, I thought:

[vbunnell]

Yes, I've tried that, full opacity, low opacity, doesn't matter. I'm still getting the same result. I don't understand how you can do it so smoothly. 

[Damien Symonds]

Ok, may I see a screenshot, including your layers panel?

[vbunnell]

That's where my problem must be. I only have one layer. What should I be doing?

[Damien Symonds]

Oh gosh, that's REALLY bad.

I gave you this link earlier.  Please read it: http://www.damiensymonds.net/2010/10/role-of-masks-when-cloning.html

[vbunnell]

[vbunnell]

I swear I followed that tutorial exactly! I'm sorry, I'm just not getting this. 

[Damien Symonds]

Hey, that's looking more promising, well done!

Shift-click the layer mask thumbnail for me, to turn off the mask temporarily, and show me another screenshot, so I can see your cloning.

[vbunnell]

[Damien Symonds]

Good, but clone out even more. Clone out most of the toes, and all of the fingertips.

[vbunnell]

[Damien Symonds]

Perfect!  Now turn your mask back on, and mask all the way out:

[vbunnell]

[Damien Symonds]

Looking better, right?

[vbunnell]

Much! Is there anything else I need to do?

[Damien Symonds]

Just one more thing.  Add a blank layer and set it to Soft Light blend mode, and clip it (Cmd Opt G) to the clone layer.  That's your dodge and burn layer.  With a very low opacity black brush, paint some shadowing where needed.

[vbunnell]

Is this right? Nothing happens when I dodge or burn.