Creatives, do you find yourself struggling to show off your designs or crafts in a realistic way? If this is you, then craft mockups could be the answer to your unspoken prayers! If you're new to the crafting or graphic design scene you may not know what a mockup is. That's ok! We're going to dive into that a bit, plus I have some amazing craft mockups from our Plus Products to share with you and a special treat. If you aren't a Design Bundles Plus Member yet, you can try it out with this free one-month trial offer for our Gold Plus membership!
Mockups are typically JPG images, though PSD or smart mockups have gained popularity recently. So, what is it about simple JPG that makes it special, or considered a mockup? When you look at a mockup you may notice something about how the main subject (product) is arranged. It's the staging and scenery of a craft mockup that makes it one of the best things since sliced bread! It really does take a special eye to be able to envision the way the photograph will look, and how a crafter or designer would use that photo. Using mockups is about as easy as it comes. Simply place your design, pattern, etc over the top of the photo (in the proper position of course) and you're done. I'll share a few examples of how a mockup looks both before and after adding a design so you can better envision how this process works. For now, let's take a look at the 15 of the most popular and useful craft mockups in our Plus section!
One of the more popular crafts using adhesive vinyl is car window decals. Decals are a great beginner project, and are pretty easy to do! Funny SVGs and similar designs are often the go-to styles for crafters when promoting decals made for car windows. Mockups like this one are perfect to show off what your product or graphic design will look like when placed on a car window!
No need to worry about the sun shining, dirty windows, or what might be in the background of the photo. This mockup includes both a JPG and a PSD Smart Object version.
Common household items, like potholders and towels, are great for craft projects. Crafters that use HTV have likely tried their hand at jazzing up a kitchen towel, potholder, or apron at some point. Mockups of kitchen items like this potholder version let you show off your SVGs easily.
You can find more generic styles similar to this or themed versions for holidays or occasions. Either way, they're perfect for kitchen themes, farmhouse style, and funny quotes.
One of the most versatile craft mockups out there is the t-shirt mockup, especially a white version! T-shirt mockups are fantastic for displaying just about anything and everything. So many designs, patterns, and SVGs that are "neutral" in nature will work on t-shirts just as well as they would a mug, tote bag, etc.
If you're a crafter who works with sublimation, white t-shirt mockups are likely a staple in your mockup stash. I know I have quite a few in my stash!
If you've browsed through the marketplace for masculine mockups, you might have noticed that most tend to lean toward the feminine. There simply aren't enough mockups of any type that are geared toward guys, which is why I had to be sure to share this one with you crafters!
This mockup designer has a few with this particular model so you may recognize the style (or that fabulous beard!) Male model t-shirt mockups are great for Father's Day designs, masculine graphics, and much more. Here's an example of this mockup in use with a funny Plus design, so you can see just how amazing your SVG will look!
They say good things always come in twos and this adorable baby bodysuit mockup certainly meets that criteria! Use it for twin/sibling designs or to show off multiple illustrations from the same design bundle. Any type of graphic or illustration aimed at babies or little ones will look sublime on a baby bodysuit.
It's become quite common for mockup designers to provide both JPG and PSD smart object mockups, and you get both of those with this mockup.
Keychains are another project that many crafters get into; probably because they're fun, easy, and fairly inexpensive to make. While you can now find some unique shapes for keychains, the most popular is probably the round style like the one shown in the photo. Some time ago, round styles were about all you could find, but that's certainly not the case any longer!
Since sublimation has taken off and become popular, you can now find more than just acrylic blanks. The round shape opens up the design possibilities, letting you use SVGs that fill the entire shape, or just part of it.
Digital stickers have been around for a while, but have become quite a hot product lately! A year or two ago, you couldn't find a cute mockup for stickers anywhere it seemed, but now there are tons to choose from. There are a few different styles and versions for the hand mockup. Some include two separate PNG layers to layer and others have an "open" finger style like this one. Either work similarly and can show off your digital stickers quite nicely!
Some include two separate PNG layers to layer and others have an "open" finger style like this one. Either work similarly and can show off your digital stickers quite nicely!
Don't you love how something as basic as a coaster can become fabulous when you add a design or graphic to it? Simple or basic items like a coaster can be hard to stage for photos and mockups. We have a number of amazing independent mockup designers who have provided some truly fantastic images and make that job look easy.
Not only that, but these smart mockups make your job easy as well! Whether you use the full smart layer feature, or simply overlay your graphic overtop, you're sure to end up with something stunning.
Sublimation crafters and graphic designers, behold the best-selling Plus mockup for skinny tumblers! If you don't already have this mockup, you're going to want to grab it. Unbelievably easy to use, smart mockups like this one are set up to display your design with just a few clicks of the mouse.
One of the best parts is that your entire full wrap sublimation design will show on all 3 tumblers, providing a very lifelike display. The white wood background ensures that the image on the tumbler really pops and is the star of the show!
You might take a look at this mug mockup and wonder why in the world you would need 3 mugs! While crafters and makers not into sublimation can certainly use these types of mockups, they're actually intended for showing off sublimation mug designs. Use the JPG file format for adding a design over the front, or choose the PSD smart object mockup to use it to its full potential!
The mockup designer that created this one has made it easy to use, and you can see your design in a full wrap with just a few clicks. Pretty cool! Here's an example of how this mug mockup will look when you add a full mug wrap. I used a set of adorable Easter digital papers to create this mug wrap. I love how seamlessly these smart object mockups work!
This particular mug mockup has been trending in our Plus products for a while now. You could consider this to be a model mockup (though most feature shirts or other apparel). You can use this mockup in much the same way as the one shown above. Model mockups give your designs that realistic feel beyond what a traditional craft mockup can.
Close-up images that put the focus on the product and design make it easy for customers to see what they're getting. If you haven't tried this version yet, it's one to add to your list!
Round signs are all the rage, especially those that fall into the farmhouse style category. To best show off round designs, you really do need a round mockup! It may be hard to believe, but even though this shape is rather specific there are a lot of great ways to use round designs; from signs to ornaments and everything in between.
With this wood sign mockup, you get the option to use a JPG or the special layers and smart objects, meaning you can easily fill the shape with a pattern. Grab this one and add it to your stash!
Wood sign mockups come in all shapes and sizes. The sign in this one may be small, but it sure is mighty! Farmhouse-style designs have been tending for a few years now, and that popularity seems to be holding steady. Whether you're just starting out with mockups or have been using them for years, this cute little sign is a fantastic one for all creative types!
There are two schools of thought when it comes to stylized mockups; less is more or the opposite, more is more. With this farmhouse mockup, you get a happy medium. Look at how fantastic this sign mockup looks with this spring-themed Plus SVG design!
Continuing on the farmhouse trend, we have this lovely pillow cover mockup. Pillow covers in and of themselves are simply fabulous because you can change them out for the season without breaking the bank on brand new decor! A square pillow cover (or other shapes) is a wonderful alternative to signs when mocking up your designs or illustrations.
Top tip: Lower the opacity of your design just slightly once placed on the mockup and you should be able to see the texture of the pillow cover show through; giving it an even more realistic look.
While this tote bag mockup may be styled for spring, you can find a number of options and unique versions of this type of mockup. Much like the pillow cover mockup above, a tote bag is another great way to show off your designs, SVGs, or fonts to show customers different use possibilities.
Pick a mockup that "matches" with the theme of your design for a consistent feel. This mockup would be lovely with a spring or Easter quote on it!
What a phenomenal group of craft mockups! I don't know about you, but working with such amazing images spurs my creativity and gets me excited for crafting and designing. Mockups are such a foolproof way to display your products without spending big money on physically creating every product you offer. The ease of use doesn't hurt either! Do you love using mockups and have a favorite? We'd love to hear what you think about mockups, and for your to share your examples in our Facebook Customer Community group!
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