How do you set the source image in GIMP Clone Tool?

To set the source image for the Clone tool in GIMP, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the desired area of the image that you want to clone.

Here's a breakdown of how to properly set the source and what happens if you don't:

• Setting the Source:

  • Select the Clone tool from the toolbox.
  • Press and hold the Ctrl key. The cursor will change to a crosshair or similar indicator.
  • Click on the specific area of your image that you want to use as the cloning source. This tells GIMP where to start copying pixels from.

• Why Setting the Source is Crucial: If you don't set the source image, GIMP won't know what to clone. You'll likely see a symbol indicating that the source hasn't been defined, and the Clone tool won't paint anything onto your target area.

• Cloning Patterns: If you're cloning a pattern, GIMP treats the source as a repeatable tile. It will copy the pattern from one edge to the opposite edge, creating a seamless repetition as you paint.

• Example: Imagine you want to clone a flower from one part of a photograph to another.

  1. Select the Clone tool.
  2. Hold Ctrl and click on the flower you want to duplicate. This sets the flower as the cloning source.
  3. Release Ctrl and click/paint in the area where you want to create a copy of the flower. The pixels from the source flower will now be painted onto the target area.