Using CS3 and trying to use the clone stamp tool and have a question. Once I have set my source point #1 by alt/click then activate the overly, I then reposition my source as my overly shows. I then click and start painting. All works well except if I release the mouse I no longer can continue from where I started as the overly keeps moving with my mouse. Is there a way that I can release my mouse then continue at a different location within my source area? If I start painting again I start cloning to another source. I make sure I am using my targeted source, one in this case. Not sure if I explained this properly as I have difficulty putting into words what my thoughts are. Any help will be greatly appreciated.....Thank you....Ralph

first time posting...

Untick aligned at the top and you should always clone from the same spot and not relative to your mouse.

Thanks for your help. I tried unticking aligned and I don't see any difference. If for some reason I slightly release my mouse and want to continue I have not idea how to do this as continuing to click clones from a different area. This is very frustrating to me. I just don't understand how the clone stampe works. I watched the tutorial by Dr. Brown and he makes it seem so simple, just click and paint but no information on how to proceed if you inadvertenly release the mouse then want to continue. Thanks for your help and if you have any further suggestions I will certainly appreciate them......Ralph

You're doing it right, it sounds like. It's not that complicated of a tool. Unclicking 'aligned' should work. Maybe you have a faulty CS3?

Thank you for your help. Don't know if I have a bad CS3 but that is the only problem that I have encountered so far. It is right out of the box, new version 10. One last question. If I do inadvertenly release the mouse (with aligned unchecked), from where do I restart my clicking? Can I just continue where I was at the time I released the mouse? Thanks again....Ralph

Hope this helps. alt+click on the source you want to clone from. You then go to the spot you want to clone to, press and hold mouse and paint. Your source will move in relation to your mouse movement as long as the button is held down. It will stay in that relation if aligned is checked even when you let up. If you uncheck aligned, then when you let up on the button, the clone source will return to the spot you last alt+clicked. You then hold your button down and start painting again and it will stay in that relation until you let up which then returns to the original selection.

Thanks Dennis, still isn't working for me. I have aligned checked, alt click for source, click on show overlay, move to area I want to clone to, then holding mouse begin to paint the entire clone area. I stopped deliberately and made sure I didn't move my mouse, then started painting again and I got cloning from the moved source not where I had stopped brushing. Not sure what to do now, perhaps avoid using the clone brush. Thanks for your suggestion......Ralph

I thought of one more thing - try unchecking the show overlay box and see what happens.

Thanks Dennis, I will give it a try sometime today......Ralph

Dennis, still didn't work. If I complete the cloning without releasing the mouse it works fine. Release the mouse and forget it. I didn't think it mattered, but I am actualling cloning to a layer above the original. Not sure it makes a difference. Thanks again Dennis.....Ralph

Dennis, I quickly tried cloning to the original and the same thing happens. Are you able to release your mouse and then click and continue at the same location? If so then something is wrong with my version of CS3. Should I be contacting Adobe about this?.......Ralph

The behavior you describe is normal for "non-aligned" usage. With Aligned checked, however, the overlay shouldn't float anymore after your first usage.

Doug, here is the screen image. I tried as you suggested, released my mouse without moving it then clicked it again and painted. The result is 3 bowls instead of 2. A link to the screen image is here:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/230/522065691_1ab11859b2_o.jpg

Thanks.....Ralph

And you didn't just clone the clone? It samples all layers, including the layer you're cloning to.

Thanks Doug, sorry it took so long to reply. I guess I had some senior moments. I can see now that I am cloning the clone as it samples all layers. I will keep playing with the clone stamp and hopefully get it or me to work properly.....Ralph