Adobe Photoshop CS6 Top 100 Simplified Tips and Tricks by Lynette Kent

Use the Patch Tool to CLONE CONTENTS TO A NEW AREA
You can use a Content-Aware fill to remove and
replace larger unwanted elements from photos. The
Content-Aware option selects pixels from the
surrounding areas and blends them into the selected
section. In Photoshop CS6, you can now use a
Content-Aware mode with the Patch tool to give you
added control over the content that will fill larger
patched areas. You can more easily remove even
structured areas in a photo, and replace the pixels
with pixels that blend realistically into the image. The
new Content-Aware mode of the Patch tool can adapt
the cloned contents, moving lines and patterns to fit
the surrounding areas. You can select the extent of
the adaptation from Strict to Loose, and experiment
with the different options to view how each affects
the fill contents.
In addition, by using a layer mask to temporarily hide
any elements you definitely do not want sampled for
the patch, and by working on an empty layer above
the Background layer, you can protect your main
subject and the original pixels.
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1 With an image open, click the
Layer Mask button on the Layers
panel.
The Background layer changes to
Layer 0 with a layer mask.
2 Click the Brush tool.
3 Paint with black on the layer
mask over the areas to be
protected or hidden.
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The protected areas appear
transparent.
4 Click the New Layer button to
add a new blank layer.
5 Click the Spot Healing Brush tool
and select the Patch tool.
6 Click the Patch drop-down menu
and select Content-Aware.
7 Click the Adaptation drop-down
menu and select an Adaptation
control, such as Loose.
8 Click and drag around the area to
be removed.
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