Clone/healing brush source selection - what's the thinking?

[jeremyrh]

It seems that to select a source for cloning you have to use your fat finger, along with a loupe. Then you can use the pencil to define the destination.  If you're retouching a portrait, for example, that means you have to switch from finger to pencil a hundred or so times, which is not exactly optimal.  I'm wondering what is the thinking behind this choice of UI design?  Are there any circumstances where it actually helps?  It is quite discouraging, and pushes the user towards, e.g. the inpainting brush, which does not so such a good job in many circumstances.

Any thoughts?

[jeremyrh]

Reading some more posts on this topic, I see that the "long press" is an Apple thing and can't be mimicked using the pencil.  I wondered if maybe "opt-tap" with a BT keyboard would work, but apparently it does not.  

From my inexpert attempts to use this tool on iPad it feels more or less useless for skin retouching, which is a disappointment as I'd planned to use it on my iPad a fair bit with the arrival of the new M1 iPad Pro.

[jeremyrh]

Talking to myself some more - it seems that the Blemish Removal tool works with the Pencil, so may be a good alternative to Clone Brush or Healing Brush.

[DM1]

19 hours ago, jeremyrh said:

more or less useless for skin retouching

Try the inpainting brush. Flow/Hardness 100% and size slightly larger the blemish.

[Paul Mudditt]

21 hours ago, jeremyrh said:

Reading some more posts on this topic, I see that the "long press" is an Apple thing and can't be mimicked using the pencil.  I wondered if maybe "opt-tap" with a BT keyboard would work, but apparently it does not.  

From my inexpert attempts to use this tool on iPad it feels more or less useless for skin retouching, which is a disappointment as I'd planned to use it on my iPad a fair bit with the arrival of the new M1 iPad Pro.

I find it very therapeutic to slightly switch grip occasionally from using Apple Pencil to outstreching my index finger that normally touches my pencil to prevent strain on my hand.

[Dan C]

Hi @jeremyrh,

On 5/9/2021 at 7:33 PM, jeremyrh said:

that means you have to switch from finger to pencil a hundred or so times, which is not exactly optimal.  I'm wondering what is the thinking behind this choice of UI design?  Are there any circumstances where it actually helps?

On 5/10/2021 at 9:06 AM, jeremyrh said:

I see that the "long press" is an Apple thing and can't be mimicked using the pencil.  I wondered if maybe "opt-tap" with a BT keyboard would work, but apparently it does not.  

As you've found out, this unfortunately simply isn't possible using the Apple Pencil, so you have to set the Source Point using your finger currently.
I will log an improvement suggestion with our developers to allow for a keyboard modifier, or perhaps a context toolbar modifier which would allow you to move/place the Clone Source point using an Apple Pencil.

I hope this helps

[jeremyrh]

Thanks all - yes that keyboard modifier would be a game-changer 🙂