A guide to some of the basic techniques using Photoshop Elements 9 By Candice Foers-Bates

Part 6 Removing and replacing parts of your image (retouching)

Removing and replacing parts of the image Choose the ‘Eraser’ tool from the tools palette. You can set the size, edge definition, etc. at the top of the screen. Try it out on your image.

Removing and replacing parts of the image Choose the ‘’Marquee’ tool and define an area on your image.

Removing and replacing parts of the image Go to ‘Edit’ > ‘Fill selection’

Removing and replacing parts of the image You need to define which colour to fill with. Here the background colour has been chosen. The icon at the bottom of the tools palette shows foreground and background colours.

Removing and replacing parts of the image The area has now been filled with white, which was the background colour.

Removing and replacing parts of the image Go to ‘Select’ > ‘Deselect’ to turn off your selection area.

Removing and replacing parts of the image Choose the ‘Magic wand’ tool. Click on an area on your image to make a selection. The parameters for this tool can be set at the top of the screen.

Removing and replacing parts of the image Again, fill your selection with a colour.

Removing and replacing parts of the image Choose the ‘Eyedropper’ tool. With this you can sample an area of your image and the colour appears in the tools palette as the foreground colour.

Removing and replacing parts of the image Choose the ‘Brush’ tool. The parameters are set at the top of the screen. Have a go.

Removing and replacing parts of the image Choose the ‘Zoom’ tool to focus on a detail within your image.

Removing and replacing parts of the image Choose the ‘Clone’ tool. The tool was placed where the ‘x’ is shown and the ‘alt’ key held down – this samples the image at that point. x

Removing and replacing parts of the image Now you can use that captured sample and ‘paint out’ the unwanted part of the image. It takes a little trial and error to master this technique so please be patient.

Fantastic! If you’ve now mastered that lot you should feel justly proud of yourself.