When it comes to larger repair jobs, the Patch Tool will save you a great deal of time. OK waht is the Patch Tool and how can it help us. The Patch Tool is a close relation of the Clone Stamp and the Healing Brush tools (it shares a toolbox compartment with the latter).

The Clone Stamp Tool is the backbone of the team it's a good all-rounder when it comes to removing unwanted pixels while The Healing Brush is a more subtle tool, and comes in handy when a gentle touch is required to tackle a cosmetic repair job.

But for super speed and immediate results on a larger scale you need to call on the Patch Tool. This tool can take care of even the most daunting pixel repair jobs in a matter of seconds.

Each of these related tools is an important part of the image-editing team, and working smarter means knowing when to call on a particular tool's services.

Hopefully this article will have given you an idea of the strengths of each tool, so that you can make the right decision about which one to reach for when you tackle your own jobs.

The Patch Tool is like a souped-up Healing Brush: no job is too big - Large areas of unwanted pixels are no match for the power of the Patch Tool. It can remove a footprint in the sand in two seconds flat!

Simply select the Patch Tool [J] from the toolbox. Then decide which Patch mode you want to use (see sidebar) by clicking in the options bar.

Here the best bet is to select Destination. Drag the mouse to roughly select a piece of untouched sand that's a little bigger than the footprint you want to patch over. Then click and drag the selection of smooth sand over the unwanted footprint.

Photoshop does some calculations, and seamlessly merges the sampled patch with the pixels it's replacing. It's so simple and quick to use, happy photoshopping.

For more information on Photoshop patch tool visit: photoshop blending tool