Mockups can be divided into several main categories. Packaging Mockups are used to showcase designs on actual product forms, such as boxes, bottles or bags. Clothing mockups show how the graphic designs will look on various items of clothing. Mockups for marketing materials include visuals on business cards, posters or banners.
Mockups in Canva
Canva offers a built-in mockup system that is particularly useful for small businesses and budding designers. Unlike professional tools, Canva focuses on the simplicity and speed of creating visuals.
The main advantage of mockups in Canva is the intuitive interface and the large library of ready-made templates. The system allows quick creation of visualisations for social media, marketing materials or product presentations. However, a significant limitation is the lack of advanced perspective editing and texture mapping capabilities.
In the free version, a basic library of mockups is available, while the Pro version offers a much wider selection of templates and editing options. It is worth remembering that Canva mockups work best in simple projects, where a photorealistic effect is not required.
Mockup Applications
Mockups are widely used in the design and marketing process. In the area of design, they are used to verify concepts and test different variants before final production.
For marketing departments, they are an invaluable tool for creating promotional materials and product presentations.
The Most Important Areas of Use for Mockups:
- Presentations to customers – showing the real appearance of the product
- Marketing materials – creating professional visualisations
- Design tests – verification of various design variants
- Advertising campaigns – preparation of promotional materials
- Pitch decks – presentations for investors and partners
How Mockups Are Created
Creating a professional mockup involves several key stages. First, a suitable template is selected or a custom 3D scene is created.
The design is then applied to the mockup, taking into account perspective and surface curves. The final stage is to adjust the lighting and add environmental effects for greater realism.
How to Make a Mockup
Preparing your own product for a mockup requires the right approach and knowledge of several technical aspects.
Preparing high-quality source material is key. Photos of the product should be taken in the right lighting, with the right perspective.
It is also important to prepare files in the right resolution and format. For best results, work on vector files or high-quality raster files. Textures and materials should be prepared taking into account how they are mapped onto the mockup.
It is also a good idea to create a library of different product shots, which will allow you to quickly create a variety of mockups in the future. It is good practice to prepare files in layers, which makes it easier to edit and adjust later.
How Not to Make a Mockup
Creating mockups, although seemingly simple, often involves making distinctive mistakes. One of the most common is incorrect perspective adjustment. The design superimposed on the mockup must perfectly match the perspective of the object, otherwise the effect will look unnatural.
Another common mistake is to ignore the properties of materials. Every surface reflects light differently and has different physical properties. Metallic surfaces require a different approach than matt ones, and transparent materials need to take light reflection into account.
The third major problem is inadequate lighting. Shadows and reflections in the mockup must be consistent with the lighting of the scene. Ignoring this leads to the preparation of an unrealistic visualisation.
What to Use for Mockups?
Popular Programmes and Platforms:
- Photoshop – the primary tool for creating and editing mockups
- Canva – ideal for beginners and small businesses
- Mockup generators – online platforms with ready-made templates
Advantages of Mockups
The use of mockups in the design and marketing process can bring many benefits. First and foremost, it allows for a significant cost reduction by eliminating the need for physical prototypes. It enables rapid testing of different designs and the collection of feedback even before production begins.
Mockups also facilitate communication with the client, allowing the product to be presented in a realistic way. Professional mockups increase brand credibility and help build a consistent image.
Cost of Mockups
The costs associated with creating mockups can vary significantly depending on the approach chosen. The simplest solutions are ready-made templates available on various portals or applications as a subscription or one-off purchase.
More advanced projects require an individual approach and the creation of mockups from scratch, for example in Photoshop, which already involves higher costs.
