Make a Pop up Photograph

Making your favorite photo into a pop-up is fun and relatively easy. Pop up your family, your pet, your best friend, or even your own imaginary scene using magazine cut-outs and drawings. You can easily turn an everyday photo into a 3D masterpiece by using pop-out tabs or stability strips.

Steps

Using Pop-Out Tabs

  1. Choose a photo of a background or vista. It doesn't necessarily have to be in focus (the objects popping out will draw the eye instead), but it should be fairly plain and not super attention-grabbing. A street, a park, or a natural setting (forest, woods, etc.) are all good choices.
  2. Cut out photos of the objects you want to pop up in front of the background. Try to get as close to the actual shapes of the objects as you can without cutting into them.
    • Think about the size of your background. Will your objects fit into it without looking strangely big or small?
    • You can either work with several copies of the same image (producing a "normal" photo that becomes alive with depth) or different images, playing with contrasts between the subjects and the background.
  3. Fold the background photo in half. The photo should be on the inside. Press along the fold to get a sturdy crease. Keep the photo folded.
  4. Make two parallel cuts of the same length into the fold of the photo. Position them behind where your object will be. Depending on the size of your object, you'll want the cuts to be about 1/2" to 1" apart (1.3 to 2.5 cm). The longer these cuts, the further the image will sit from the background.
    • Make another set of cuts for each additional cutout that you're adding to the background.
      • Before you cut, keep in mind that you'll be pasting your cutouts to the front of these boxes you're cutting. The cuts should not be longer than the height of your cutout photo and the width between them should not be wider than your cutout photo, either.
      • The closer together you make the cuts, the smaller your tab will be. The smaller the better (to a point) -- that way, more background is left as is, better seen from different angles.
  5. Fold the tabs between the cuts back and forth, pressing them flat. Your crease should run horizontally between your two vertical cuts. Fold to the front, then flip the folded image over and fold the tabs to the back. Return the tabs to the flat position.
  6. Open the photo halfway to 90 degrees. Your "floor" or ground should be horizontal, and your "backdrop" should be vertical. Use your finger to push each tab forward into the center of the photo, creating pop-up boxes.
  7. Glue your cutout photos to the front of each pop-up box to create a pop-up scene. Use a glue stick (instead of white school glue) to avoid any mess or over-gluing. Voila! Now where to put it?
    • If you don't have glue, transparent tape will also work -- just make sure it's flat and not visible from most angles.

Using Stability Strips

  1. Choose two photos. They don't have to match at all, really. All you need is one of scenery and one of a subject (or two). If you'd like a photo of a dinosaur crashing into your kitchen, all the more power to you. The more absurd the combination, the less emphasis there will be on the popping. So if you'd like to keep your friends' reactions to, "Wow! A 3D photo!" keep your two images similar.
    • Make sure your object is smaller than your scenery. If T-Rex is 10" tall and the photo you have of your kitchen is 4x6, there's a problem there. Luckily, resizing photos is a piece of cake (if cake isn't what you're looking for, you could always make the Walgreen's employees do it for you).
    • Your subject should be whole. The torso of T-Rex dragging through your kitchen (trying to reach your cabinets?) just doesn't make sense. For the subject you choose, make sure you have a complete image, top to bottom.
  2. Fold your background photo. For an 8x10, 2" (5 cm) from the bottom, make a fold, with the new flap facing toward you, image side up. For smaller or larger photos, adjust accordingly. Your photo should now be able to stand up.
    • This flap is what your subject will stand on. That way, they're in all of the photo, not just in front of it.
  3. Cut out your subject(s). The fewer intricate cuts you have to make the better, so if you have an image that's fairly straight and to the point, great. You want your cuts to be as close to the edge of the shape as possible.
    • If you have more than one subject, just make sure they both fit!
  4. Cut a stability strip (or two). Grab a piece of photo paper (photo paper is a lot sturdier than regular paper) and cut a strip about 1/2" (1.25 cm) wide and 8" (long). Each subject will need one -- so if you've two subjects, cut two strips.
    • Again, these are proportions for a decent-sized object on an 8x10. If your subject is bigger or smaller, you may need a different sized stability strip.
  5. Fold the strip. You need it to be bent into a geometric U-shape. The sides should be 3" (7.5 cm) long and the middle (bottom of the "U") should be 2" (5 cm) long.
  6. Glue the strip. Taking one of the longer sections of the strip, glue it to the back of your subject, preferably centered. The more centered it is, the more stable your subject will be. Glue the other longer section to the background. The 2" in between is how your subject pops.
    • Repeat for each object you have. If anything seems to be leaning, use a bit of transparent tape to solve the problem.
  7. Position your photo. Now that you have an awesome pop up photograph to your name, what to do with it? The only trick here is positioning it where it can't really be seen from the sides. Place it where you'd like, but stand at different points in the room to see what it looks like from all angles.
    • Higher works better than lower. If viewed from below, the photograph stays intact; if viewed from above, it loses its dimensions and depth.
  8. Finished.

Tips

  • Print photos on matte rather than glossy paper to make cutting, folding, and gluing easier.
  • Select photo objects that are in focus and easy to cut out.
  • Choose photo backgrounds that are relatively plain landscapes or interiors.

Things You'll Need

Method One: Using Pop-Out Tabs

  • Several photos or several copies of the same photo that can be cut apart
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick

Method Two: Using Stability Strips

  • 2 photos (at least)
  • Scissors
  • Photo paper (for stability strip)
  • Glue stick

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Sources and Citations

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