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How to Rotate Clone Stamp Tool in Photoshop?

Published in Photoshop Clone Tool 2 mins read

To rotate the Clone Stamp tool's source area in Photoshop, you use keyboard shortcuts.

The primary method, as noted in a reference from 09-Sept-2023, is to use opt-shift-< and opt-shift-> to rotate the source.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts to Rotate the Source

The Clone Stamp tool itself (the brush cursor) doesn't rotate; instead, you rotate the source area you are sampling from. This allows you to clone textures, patterns, or details from the source area and apply them at a different angle in your target area.

Here are the specific keyboard shortcuts for rotating the source:

  • Rotate Source Counter-Clockwise:
    • Mac: Option + Shift + < (comma key)
    • Windows: Alt + Shift + < (comma key)
  • Rotate Source Clockwise:
    • Mac: Option + Shift + > (period key)
    • Windows: Alt + Shift + > (period key)

As the reference states, this process "works slowly." This means each press of the shortcut rotates the source by a small, incremental amount (typically 1 degree by default, though this can be adjusted in the Clone Source panel). To achieve a significant rotation, you will need to press the shortcut repeatedly.

Understanding Clone Source Rotation

When you rotate the source:

  1. You define your source point by Alt-clicking (Windows) or Option-clicking (Mac).
  2. As you paint in the target area, the sampled content from the source area will be rotated according to the angle you set using the shortcuts.

This feature is incredibly useful for tasks such as:

  • Aligning textures like wood grain or fabric patterns.
  • Cloning elements that need to match the perspective or angle of the target area.
  • Fixing symmetry issues in images.

You can also view and manually set the rotation angle in the Clone Source Panel (Window > Clone Source). This panel provides more control over rotation, scaling, and offsetting the source, and you can even set multiple clone sources.

Action Mac Shortcut Windows Shortcut
Rotate Source Counter-CW Option + Shift + < Alt + Shift + <
Rotate Source CW Option + Shift + > Alt + Shift + >

Remember that these shortcuts rotate the source of the clone, not the brush tip itself. The angle of the brush tip is controlled independently, if you are using an angled brush preset.

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