Clone layers and transform masks for live edits

Duplicating a layer gives you a copy that goes its own way. Change the original afterwards and the copy stays as it was. Often that's what you want, but sometimes you'd rather the copy kept up. Paint by Zaweba has clone layers for that, and transform masks for a related problem: changing a layer's shape without ever spoiling its pixels.

Clone layers

A clone layer is a live copy of another layer. Every edit you make to the source, painting, filtering or erasing, shows up in the clone. Yet the clone has its own position, opacity, blend mode, masks and Layer Art. So it looks the same in content but can sit anywhere, be faded, be blended differently and wear different effects.

That opens up some neat working methods. Make a pattern tile, clone it several times across the canvas, and keep painting on the original: every copy updates. Design a sticker and put clones on a mock-up at different sizes; refine the artwork once and all of them follow. For a reflection, clone a layer, flip and fade it, and the reflection will always match the object above.

Clones also help with effects. Put a blurred, brightened clone under a layer to make a glow that stays in step when you change the layer. Or use a clone in a darkening blend mode to strengthen line art you're still drawing.

Transform masks

A transform mask is a live transformation attached to a layer: scale, rotation, skew, perspective or a simple move. The key point is that it's drawn from the untouched pixels. However many times you change it, the result is worked out fresh from the original, so there's no gradual blurring from repeated resizing.

When you're sure, Apply bakes the transform into the layer. Delete removes it, putting the layer back exactly as it was.

This is ideal for mock-ups and layouts where you'll adjust size and angle several times, for perspective work like fitting a design onto a sign, and for any rotation you might want to tweak later.

Using the two together

They suit each other. Clone a layer, give the clone a transform mask with perspective, and you have artwork that updates when you edit the source and sits at an angle on, say, the side of a box. Change the artwork and the box side follows without any re-transforming.

Things to keep in mind

Edits go one way. You paint on the source, not on the clone. If you want to change only the clone's look, use its own opacity, blend mode, masks or Layer Art.

When you tidy a document with clones in it, check which layer each clone follows before you delete or merge anything, so you know what the clones depend on.

A transform mask is meant to be temporary or to stay live. If a document grows heavy with many live transforms you won't change again, Apply them.

Copies that fail to follow

Duplicating with Ctrl+J when you meant to clone is the commonest. A duplicate looks the same at first and then quietly fails to update. If a copy needs to follow the original, make it a clone from the start.

Resizing a layer several times with a destructive transform is the other. Each pass softens the pixels a little. Use a transform mask while you're still deciding, and apply once at the end.

Both features are about keeping decisions open. With clone layers and transform masks, Paint by Zaweba lets you build a design from repeated and reshaped parts without locking anything down until you choose to.