Creating Patterns with Photoshop

It seems this year in particular has been a great year for learning new techniques from some awesome instructors.  This summer I took a digital collage workshop.  I signed up because it had the word "collage" in the title of the workshop - Ha Ha - I am such an easy target.  The class turned out to basically be a Photoshop class; and, while I have a brand new appreciation for digital artist, I still gravitate to the hands-on approach when it comes to making art.

What I did learn in this class that made subject matter much easier for me was how to take several images and combine them to create a new image.  I think some people have this concept that artist just pull subject matter out of their heads and plop it down on the canvas.  I'm sure some very talented artist do just that.  But I need a reference.  Something to help me get the angles, and the proportions, and the shapes just right.

Here is an example using my ice cream sundae collage.  See if you can pick out the parts from these photos and find them rearranged in the completed work.

I used these photos for reference

 

And created a pattern to make this piece

 

 

Do you see the bowl?  Not in the reference photos; but, it is there.  It came from the bottom picture on the left.  I cropped out the stem of the glass, reworked the shape, and added the polka dots.

 

Having a pattern is only half the battle.  Translating the pattern with paper is another monster - but she is a friendly monster and I am very fond of her.