Mockups for Designers: Tools, Tips and Resources I Actually Use
1. Why I Started Using High-Quality Mockups
When I first started sharing my designs, I would upload a flat image, post it online and hope someone would fall in love with it. A few people did, of course, but I soon realised that other designers were presenting their work in a much more appealing way. And honestly, I wanted to know how they did it!
So, down the Google rabbit hole I went. I spent days searching for mockups that looked realistic, were affordable (or even better, free!) and, most importantly, came with the right licence to use them legally. I'm a designer, but I'm also a single mum, so spending money wisely has always mattered to me. I'm not a millionaire designer (yet)!
That's how I discovered Creatsy, which quickly became my favourite mockup studio. Their mockups are incredibly realistic, and I absolutely love the attention to detail, especially the textures.
And it really has made a difference. Mockups have helped me present my designs from a completely different perspective and reach potential clients who might not otherwise have discovered my work. Instead of asking someone to imagine how my pattern might look on a dress, wallpaper or other product, I can actually show them.
Because let's face it, it's much easier to picture a design in your home or on a product when you can actually see it there, isn't it?
That's how I discovered Creatsy, which has become my all-time favourite mockup studio. Their mockups are absolutely amazing and so realistic. I don't know how to create mockups myself, and to be honest, I've never really wanted to learn. I'd rather spend my time creating designs and leave the mockup magic to the people who know what they're doing!
Since then, I've become a fan of Affinity as well, and you can find Creatsy's mockups available to work with your designs.
Using mockups has helped me present my work in a completely different way. Instead of asking a potential client to imagine how my pattern might look on a dress or wallpaper, I can actually show them.
And let's be honest, there's quite a difference between looking at a flat pattern and seeing it on a beautiful product, isn't there?
2. What Makes a Good Mockup?
First of all, I'm a big enemy of AI-generated images. I know some AI mockups are becoming so convincing that it's getting harder to tell the difference, but I still prefer to use work created by real people. I don't want to support AI taking over creative work if I can help it. And yes, I'm using AI for this blog post, lol. I'm not claiming to be perfect!
When it comes to mockups, realism is probably the most important thing for me. I want to see my designs on products in a way that looks natural, without strange proportions, distorted patterns or that slightly odd feeling you sometimes get with AI-generated images.
One of my favourite things is texture. I love seeing how a design looks on cotton fabric or textured wallpaper. There's something about seeing the weave of the fabric or the surface of the wallpaper that makes everything feel much more real.
I also love mockups that let me play interior designer for a moment. Being able to place my designs in a living room or bathroom, change the colours and customise all those little details is brilliant. Actually, I enjoy it so much that playing around with mockups has almost become a hobby of its own!
3. The Software I Use
My relationship with Adobe came to an end after a bad customer service experience. I found the software expensive, especially when I needed help and couldn't get the support I expected. I'd been using its software for decades, including in other jobs (but that's another story!), so it wasn't a decision I made overnight. Eventually, I'd had enough and started looking for alternatives. That's how I found Affinity, which I've now been using for more than three years.
Back then, Affinity was an independent company, and one of the things I loved was its pricing. You paid once for the software rather than having to commit to monthly or yearly payments. Much more appealing to me! I also enjoyed watching a smaller company challenge Adobe and seeing how the software continued to improve.
I use Affinity on both my PC and iPad, and there are features I genuinely prefer to their Photoshop equivalents. It's particularly useful for my surface pattern work, because yes, you can create seamless patterns in Affinity! And I'm not just talking about a basic repeat. You can create different repeat layouts, including half-drop and half-brick, and preview your pattern as you work. I'll show you how in a future blog post, so there's more to come on that subject.
Of course, no software is perfect, and one thing I miss from Adobe is the way it handles layers. Sometimes I need to open or work with layered files, and that's where another little discovery comes in: Photopea.
Photopea is a free, browser-based image editor created by Ivan Kutskir, a programmer who started developing it back in 2012. I find it rather lovely that a project he worked on for years has grown into something used by millions of people around the world. He continues to develop it himself, and you can use it straight from your browser without installing anything. For me, it's a very handy alternative to have around when Affinity isn't quite the right tool for the job.
And then there's Canva, which is probably my favourite when it comes to marketing. I use it to put together promotional graphics and other bits and pieces for my business, and I love how easy it is to work with. There's so much more you can do with it, including creating designs for products to sell.
So those are the tools I use, each for different reasons. I don't think you need to subscribe to every design programme under the sun to get things done. It's more about finding the ones that suit your work, your budget and the way you like to create
4. Where to Find Mockups
There are so many mockup websites out there that you could easily spend an entire day browsing instead of working on your designs. Not that I've ever done that, of course! :)
One of my favourites is Creatsy, which I've already mentioned. I love the realistic textures and attention to detail, especially in their fabric, wallpaper and interior mockups.
Explore Creatsy mockups | Browse free mockups
Another website worth exploring is Pixpine, which has mockups for fabric and apparel.
Browse apparel mockups on Pixpine
You can also use the product previews on platforms such as Spoonflower, Redbubble and Zazzle. Spoonflower's mockups may not be the highest resolution, but I still find them very useful for presenting my designs.
There are plenty of other great mockup studios and marketplaces, too. I prefer to link to original websites where I can check the source and find the relevant information.
One last thing: always check the licence before using a mockup, as the terms can vary from one creator to another.
5. My Experience of Building a Design Business on a Budget
My situation might not be the same as everyone else's, but I started building my brand with a very tight budget. Money was limited, but I still wanted to make it happen, knowing it would take time. Consistency is something people talk about a lot, and with good reason! :) Building a business doesn't happen overnight — I know that from running my fabric shop, too.
Over time, I've discovered plenty of tools, mockups and resources that have helped me along the way. Some were free, others I paid for, and a few purchases turned out to be less useful than I'd imagined. That tempting bundle sitting on my computer? Yes, that has happened to me, too!
Presenting my work has also become an important part of the process. A well-chosen mockup helps me show how a pattern might look on fabric, wallpaper or a finished product, rather than leaving people to imagine it from a flat image alone. I've also learned how much I value reliable companies with good customer service, especially when I need a little help.
I'm still learning as I go, discovering new tools and finding my own way of doing things. This is simply my experience of building a design business with limited funds, and finding ways to make the most of the resources and creativity I have. Everyone's experience will be different, and that's perfectly fine.
I love connecting with people, and perhaps it's partly because of my work as a care professional that I enjoy listening to and reading other people's stories so much. So, if you'd like to share yours, I'd be really happy to read it! Leave your story below :)
Noemi ❤️
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