How to remove an object with Delete and Fill
Shift+Delete in Paint by Zaweba fills a selection from its surroundings to remove an object. When to use it, and how plain Delete differs.
Removing a stray object from a photo used to mean careful clone stamping. For many small jobs there's a faster way in Paint by Zaweba: select the object and press Shift+Delete. Edit > Delete and Fill Selection fills the selected area from its surroundings and drops the selection, so the object simply disappears into the background.
How to use it
Make a selection around the thing you want gone. A lasso is usually best, drawn a little outside the object so its edge and any shadow are included. Then press Shift+Delete, or choose Edit > Delete and Fill Selection.
The area is filled with texture and colour taken from around it, and the selection is cleared so you can see the result straight away. If it isn't right, undo, adjust the selection and try again.
Plain Delete is different
Delete on its own clears the selected area. On a normal layer that leaves transparent pixels. On a Background layer, which can't be transparent, it fills the selected area with the background colour. Neither tries to rebuild the scene.
So the rule is simple. Use Delete when you want an empty hole, such as cutting a shape out of a layer. Use Shift+Delete when you want the object gone and the picture to look as though it was never there.
Where it works well
It shines on objects sitting on fairly even, natural backgrounds: a crisp packet on a lawn, a dust spot in a blue sky, a sign post in front of a hedge, a power line across clouds. The surroundings give plenty of similar texture to fill from.
It also works on a plain studio backdrop or a wall, which makes it handy for tidying product shots.
Where it struggles
Strong structure is harder. If the object sits across a straight edge, like the line where a wall meets the floor, or in front of a regular pattern like brickwork or tiles, the fill may not line up perfectly. In those cases, use Delete and Fill to get most of the way, then finish with the clone or healing tools to fix lines and patterns.
Large objects are harder too, since there's more area to make up and less nearby information to make it from. Removing a person from a busy street is a bigger job than removing a pebble from a beach.
Getting better results
Select generously. A tight selection leaves a ghostly outline of the object's edge. A margin of a few pixels round the object, including its shadow, gives a cleaner result.
Work in pieces. For a long object like a cable, select and fill a section at a time rather than the whole thing at once.
Work on a copy. Duplicate the layer first (Ctrl+J with no selection), so you can compare and fall back if needed. You can also mask the filled copy to blend in only the parts you like.
Why a fill can look wrong
Pressing Delete when you meant Shift+Delete is the easy one, and you'll know at once because you'll see a hole or a patch of flat colour. Undo and use the shifted key.
Leaving the shadow behind gives the game away. An object removed without its shadow leaves a dark smudge with nothing to cast it. Include the shadow in the selection.
For quick cleanups, Shift+Delete is one of the most satisfying commands in Paint by Zaweba. Use it first, judge the result at full size, and bring out the more precise retouching tools only when the picture needs them.
