Erasing Horse's Ears

[Storm]

Hi...I will try to get this photo into Pixentral.
URL=http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=11S2Nf3mxr5bArkXirUZ8NjLqEvr0J]http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/11S2Nf3mxr5bArkXirUZ8NjLqEvr0J_thumb.jpg[/URL]
I need to erase these White horse's ears at bottom of the photo.
I cannot crop otherwise I'll cut off my daughters horses legs:)
I want the area under the Ears to look like the Trail.
Which method would you use ? I am not good at Selections & I use a Trackball mouse.
I tried with the Eraser tool, thought I would get a proper looking Brush head & here I get this very very faint cross :D Spent more time hunting for it than rubbing:D
This photo is going to be my Background . Should I do Copy Layer?
Thanks Storm

[skstarkiller]

Have you tried the clone tool?

[Storm]

Why does the image come over the URL ?I highlited the whole thing ?Perhaps some one can correct it please ,if not I'll try again.? Sorry
Thanks Storm

[skstarkiller]

Here you go.

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1fk5G6KZBS4jfv3W6cTtmQm8b3Gb0n1

I actually selected another area of the trail, feathered the selection by 10 pixels, copied it and dragged it over the white horse. I did this a couple times to cover up the whole horse. I also did the same for the bit over in the grass.

[Wendy]

Hi Storm ...

You missed off the first bracket in your link ... thats why it did work :)

Wendy

[Bayla]

Storm,

1. If your brush is looking like a faint cross - often means the Caps Lock is on.

2. A tip to make sure you get a clickable link to Pixentral is to triple click on the forum link below the picture which ensures you get the whole url.

3. I did the same as Starkiller to get rid of the ears.

Bayla

[Litespeed]

Cloning will work the best--here is what I did.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/Litespeed/11S2Nf3mxr5bArkXirUZ8NjLqEvr0J_thum.jpg

[Storm]

Hi- thank you all for replies. Its 9.30am here ,have to chase dust bunnies today will get back to it this evening. :) I will try out your tips Bayla ,& also yours Wendy. I try highliting by scrolling across ovbiously it does not work good.
Phil I realize I could save & just use your good erase job ,but I want to learn. Besides thats cheating & I am a lousy liar !! :D Which selection tool did you use & which part of the trail. ? Is this Cloning. ?
Anyone heard of The Tevis Cup??:)
Thanks Storm

[Wendy]

Hi Storm ...

Just try out the Clone tool ... find some area of the photo that looks the same (usually fairly nearby) then Alt Click to tell Elements where you want to clone from ... and just clone over the area.

Choose a new point to clone from fairly frequently so that a pattern doesn't build up :)

Wendy

[Storm]

Could not resist cloned 1st try.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1eii6DvOVc1CmjTi1oGNR6ycIWlh4B_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1eii6DvOVc1CmjTi1oGNR6ycIWlh4B)

What is the trick to using that Clone Tool? Got brush type, held down alt key& click area I want To copy from. O.K Now what next, do I keep holding down the ALT KEY & click on the flawed area,then realise the key. Or can I let go of the key as soon as I have clicked on the Copy? Found all sorts of funny things happening . I still got a cross but my Caps Lock was not on.
It needs improvement The dust bunnies are still there ,now the Dog must go for a walk.:D Wish the days could be streched like Elastic:D :D
Thanks Storm

[Wendy]

Hi Storm ...

Next stem is to let go of that Alt key :) and just move the cursor over the area you want to replace... rather like painting ...

About the brush shape ... OK then go into Elements Preferences>Display and Cursors and make sure that it is set to Brush Size :)

Wendy

[Storm]

How can I get into Elements Preferences ? WinXPSP2. I tried searching but no luck. I am Elements 4 .
Thanks Storm.

[Wendy]

Hi Storm ...

From the menus at the top of Elements .... Photoshop Elements>Preferences :)

Hope that sorts it out for you ... if not then it may be time to delete the prefs file ...

Wendy

[Storm]

Thank you Wendy.Got into Preferences. You said -set to Brush size-.I am Windows Elements 4 .
What I have under Painting Cursors is
Standard
Precise
Normal Brush Tip ( box is Checked)
Full size Brush Tip
Show Crosshair in Brush tip
Which one did you mean by "set to Brush size" ?
Thanks Storm

[Wendy]

Hi Storm ...

Yes that is the right one ... Umm not sure what to suggest next.

Maybe a reset of the preferences will sort it out ... its worth a try:

To do that close down Elements then click on the Editor start up icon and quickly hold down the Control, Alt and Shift keys (Mac users Apple, Alt and Shift). Continue to hold down all three keys until you get a screen asking if you want to delete Settings ... just say Yes.

... lets hope that correct it :)

Wendy