Here’s a really cool and versatile effect to make pictures pop out of their frames, also known as going out of bounds.

 

Here’s what we’ll be working towards.

Step 1

First we need a picture to work from. I grabbed by picture from here and cropped it. Open a new photoshop document with a width of 543 and a height of 608 pixels. Then paste this picture in.

Step 2

Create a new layer on top and fill it completely with white, and change that layer’s opacity to 50%. With your new layer selected go to Edit>Transform>Distort. Drag the 4 corners in closer to the monkey’s feet. The idea here is to match the perspective of the picture you are using, so try to make it look like the picture could be resting on the ground underneath the monkey. When doing perspective it’s crucial that you make the side of the figure closest to you larger than the side further than you. In this case the bottom side must be wider than the top.

Step 3

Grab your pen tool (P), and starting right below the top of the white figure, put points all around the outside of the monkey’s top half. You may want to zoom in a bit to get your points in the right spot. I doesn’t have to be perfect for now, but try to get close. Once you cross into the white figure on the other side, connect it to the other end of the path. Once it’s connected, here’s what it should look like.

Now if you have points that aren’t lined up correctly, grab the Covert Point tool (click and hold on the Pen tool icon to find it), and drag individual points to where they should go while holding Ctrl.

Step 4

Select the bottom layer with the monkey on it. With your pen tool selected, right click on the path your just made and choose ‘Make Selection.’ Make sure Anti-aliased is checked and the Feather is set to 0px. Copy the selection contents (Ctrl+C), and paste (Ctrl+V). It should automatically go on a new layer for you. Put this new layer on top of your other two layers.

Step 5

Hold Ctrl and click on the thumbnail for the white figure’s layer in order to select that layer’s contents. Now select the layer with the original picture in it. Copy the selection (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V). Put the new layer that was created right above the layer with the white figure in it.

Use the Free Transform tool (Ctrl+T or Edit>Free Transform) on the layer with the white figure in it. While holding both Alt and Shift, drab out of the corners out a little and hit enter to apply the transformation. Now move this layer back up to 100%. if this creates smooth anti-aliased edges, just grab the polygonal lasso tool (L), and take a very little bit off of each side. Hide the bottom layer with the original picture. Then Create a new layer and fill it with all black. Put this layer on the way bottom.

Final

There are a ton of cool images that you can create with the effect. If you want some ideas about what to make check out what some other people have made here.

Download the PSD