"What's your go-to mockup site?"
People are always disappointed when they ask me this question. Because the truth, is I don't really have one.
I just use Google.
I search "[product type] mockup free" and scroll through Google Images, trying out ones that look promising. No magic wand to speed it up... Just an understanding of the campaign/project's look and feel that I want to convey to help people feel immersed in the design.
It's not the source that makes a good mockup.
It's understanding the different uses for each style of mockup and choosing them deliberately to showcase your project in the best light.
It's about creating an immersive experience that leaves people loving your work and wanting to see more.
So I wrote up this guide on the way I think about mockups and how I make these decisions.
Hopefully it'll help you take your case studies and presentations to the next level.
In this article:
*All images are taken from my work at Click Co. and are featured on their Instagram page
4 Mockup Styles
You want to use the style of mockup that matches the design style of the project you are showcasing, to give the case study a more immersive experience. So, for instance, for an elegant logo, try using mockups that all have soft shadows and florals.
Also use the same type of mockups throughout each case study, to keep things cohesive.
Mockup Style 1: Flat
This is when the design jpg or pdf is placed into the graphic as is either with or without a drop shadow. Because it's not a photo-mockup, there are no lighting effects applied.
Drop shadow tips to make them look more natural:
Decrease the shadow's opacity to around 15-25% (you can go darker on dark backgrounds so that it remains somewhat visible) so that it's not so harsh. the best shadows blend in and enhance the mockup without drawing attention to the shadows themselves.
Increase the shadow's distance and, especially, the size to make it look softer. Or go to 0 on the size to make it completely harsh. But using just a drop of size tends to look very fake in these instances.
Best use:
For displaying a lot of very similar graphics such as social posts, emails, or a full-length website mockup. The types of designs where in a photo-mockup you would be limited in quantity and scope of the design that gets showcased but you want to show the full piece.
When you want to showcase something that there isn’t a good mockup of (ex: direct mail pieces)
This can also be done by adding flat designs into existing mockup scenes (if you do this, make sure to match the shadows of your flat designs to the existing shadows in the scene to make it seamless!)
Mockup Style 2: Clay
These mockups are somewhere in between flat and photo. Clay mockups have a kind of flat lighting/look to them which gives them a softer and more minimalist appearance than regular photo-realistic images.
Best use:
When you're looking for a softer and more minimalist vibe
Mockup Style 3: Photo-realistic, sans background
These are photo-realistic mockups in terms of surface, textures, shadows, lighting, etc. but without a specific background or with an easily removable background.
Best use:
For creating a cohesive look among all of your mockups or a series.
When you want to give the viewer a clearer picture of how the designs look in real life, for example with brochures, embroidery, signage, etc.
Mockup Style 4: Photos / photo-realistic scenes
These are similar to Type 3 in that they're photo-realistic in terms of surface, textures, shadows, lighting, etc. but they're set within a specific scene that isn't removable (aside from customized masking in Photoshop).
Personally, I rarely use these because they limit your design capabilities and can have distracting elements in the backgrounds that take away from the design you're trying to get the viewer to focus on.
The time it’s worth that limitation is when they're quality photos of your design in use from clients. These create an incredible boost in authenticity and proof of concept.
Best use:
For generating social proof with user-generated content
When giving the viewer a clearer picture of how the designs look in real life, especially in the context of unusual situations, such as with brochures, embroidery, signage, etc.
Pro Tip: Add ambiance
What really takes a standard, off-the-shelf mockup to the next level?
Customization.
Whenever possible, add an ambiance element that matches the design style of the project, such as by:
Adding design elements from the project
Adding shadows or overlays
Using backgrounds or textures
This will make your case study into a more immersive experience and look more interesting and unique.
Mockup Layouts
Especially on Instagram, try to keep your layouts alternating in some way in order to keep things visually interesting - but not too obviously alternating as to become predictable and boring. It's a balancing act.
Here are a few different aspects to your mockups that you can alternate:
1. Background color
2. Image size/layout
Alternating the image size or layout within each post adds a layer of intentionality and organization to your grid. For example, you can use a simple, small, centered mockup and then a busy mockup overlapping the edges of the post.
3. Combo
Use both methods of alternating simultaneously for twice the impact.
Finding mockups
Like I mentioned earlier, I typically just use Google and search by image so that I can preview each mockup before clicking.
It’s not a perfect system because sometimes they’re not free or they take you hopping across 2-3 sites to finally reach the actual download, but it can ultimately save you time by searching visually if you have a specific type or style of image in mind.
Tips:
Avoid Freepik mockups - from my experience, the majority of them (the free ones, at least) don’t allow you to remove the background easily, so they’re usually not worth the time and effort to download.
Avoid Google images that link straight to Pinterest because the Pin can then link you anywhere, not necessarily free and not necessarily even to a website at all. It might just be a standalone image someone pinned. These tend to usually be wild goose chases.
Other Sites
Here are some other sites that tend to have good quality free mockups, if you prefer to search that way:
I've also listed some in this article here.
Remember, it's not about where you find your mockups, but how you use them to tell your project's story.
Here's to creating case studies that not only impress but leave your audience eagerly anticipating what you'll showcase next.
Happy mockup-ing! :D
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