Help with Gimp cloning

[PrimeTime]

I just downloaded gimp and i'm trying to learn how to use it.......I did the contrast mask/tone mapping tutorial and was really happy with the results (thank's for the info). I have an area in the top of the photo i would like to clone the background to get rid of a couple distractions and don't have a clue how to make it work............if anyone could give me some step by step instructions (i'm computor challenged ), i would appreaciate it very much............THANK'S!!

Here is a pic of the photo i'm working on...........i want to clone the portion at the top, or if there is a better or easier way to do it that would be fine also.........thank's again.




I would also like to learn how to lighten the eye's also.

[dcclark]

Quick & Dirty summary:

1. Open your image in gimp
2. Click the Clone tool in the Toolbox (looks like a stamp -- in my Gimp 2.6 setup, it's the rightmost tool in the 7th row of the toolbox).
3. In the bottom of the tool palette, select a shape for the brush (circle is great for most background-removing work) in the "Brush" popup.
4. In the image window, CONTROL-click in an area which you want to use to replace the background garbage (i.e. click in a good part of the background). This will tell Gimp where to "copy" the background from.
5. Now, click (regular, no control) over top of the part you want to remove. Paint as if using a normal photo editor brush, and Gimp will "paint" by copying from the part of the image that you chose in part 4. There will be a small circle showing where you are cloning from. Keep painting as you like.
6. There is no 6.

You can also try the "Heal" tool (looks like two bandages in an "X"), which works almost exactly the same, but it blends the image with the replacement part, instead of just replacing. I use Heal to fix spots and sensor dust.

Good luck!

[PrimeTime]

Thank's for the info......i'll give it a try.

How would i go about brightening the eye's a little bit?

[Mr Guy]

The normal duplicate->mask->screen eye pop won't work for this particular image very well because it's just too dang dark. Black lightened with black is still black! You're pretty much stuck with either airbrushing in another color, or using the dodge tool to lighting it a LITTLE bit. That's the one that looks roughly like a black match head. You'll want to set the exposure to a low value like 15ish and start with the shadows range and then lightening carefully little by little.