Searching for the right mockup can take hours of clicking, scrolling, and juggling a bajillion tabs. (And all you really wanted was a hardcover book, lying flat with a shadow! No, not that thick. No, not that thin. No, not floating in space!) Armed with this guide to some of the best mockup resources, you can now supercharge your process and move on to more enjoyable things. Like gazing fondly at your beautiful, finished mockup.
Best in Trendy, Hipster Looks
Graphic Burger
Free
An excellent resource of trendy objects (think: hipster rubber stamps, leggings, delivery vans), Graphic Burger keeps the downloading process transparent and hassle-free. Mockups are searchable, though not sortable or organized on the full mockups page. While the mockup collection is on the smaller size, the items are diverse. Graphic Burger also offers UI kits, icons, backgrounds, and other assets.
Best in Clothing
Real Thread
Free
Real Thread makes it easy for you to mockup your design on a tee, hoodie, or tank, and provides tag templates as well as tag care icons. The best part? You can order (and wear) what you mockup!
Best in Tech Devices
Freebiesbug
Free (like the name says!)
Freebiesbug is the go-to place for tech-related mockups. From smartphones (Apple, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, and more), to tablets, smartwatches, browser windows, and even speedometers, Freebiesbug offers a dizzying array of quality options. Items are searchable, and the site also offers UI kits, icons, fonts, coding stuff, stock photos. If you want to pay it forward, design and submit a freebie to the sitemaster.
Best in Paper Products
Pixeden
Free and paid options
Pixeden is outstanding for its diversity of paper product mockups (product labels, books, business cards, pamphlets, etc.), and offers one of the largest collections of multi-view mockups (download one package with multiple perspectives of the same mockup object). The premium (paid) assets strongly outnumber those that are free. The membership fee allows you unlimited downloads.
Best in Branding Kit Collections
Original Mockups
Free and paid options
With their “mockup bundles,” Original Mockups has done the hard work of gathering relevant assets for modeling entire branding kits. Original Mockups also offers a selection of multi-view mockups (which they call “packs”). While the free mockups are mostly stationery products, the premium library is full of beautiful and unusual gems…from cupcake boxes to flashdrives. You can pay for individual items, or sign up for an unlimited pass.
Best in Assets Organization
Free Mockup World
Free
and
Mockup World
Free
Unlike many mockup resource sites, both Free Mockup World and Mockups World make it easier for you to browse broad categories of items, like “Signs & Billboards.” A note of caution, though…the mockups are hosted on other sites, and occasionally, you might be redirected to a page that makes downloading a bit more irksome. And even more occasionally, the file might be no longer free to download.
Best in Attention to Detail
Adobe Dimension
Paid
If you want maximal control over your mockup, Dimension is your tool. As with any Adobe application, there is a bit of a learning curve with Dimension (though this one is much easier). And, as with any Adobe application, once you’ve got the hang of it, you might be permanently addicted. Dimension gives you control over the finest details of the mockup, whether that’s shadow opacity, object placement, or lighting direction. You can even drag in imagery from Adobe Stock without leaving the application. With dozens of objects and materials, in minutes, you can build your dream scene…and click to open it in Photoshop for oh, just “one more little tweak.”
Best in Fostering Community
Behance
Free and paid options
Behance is a vibrant, friendly place where designers gather to share and appreciate design work. Type “mockups” into the search page to find hundreds of paid and free options. You can connect with other users in the commenting section beneath each item, show your gratitude and admiration with the “Appreciate Project” button next to each item, and follow your favorite designers to stay updated on their latest creations. And, of course, you can post your own work and build a following of your own.
Best Mockup in…?
This list is only a smattering of the vast mockup resources available online! What are your favorite mockup sites? Share with us on social media, or comment below.
And for more online graphic and web design classes and courses, check out our free online design tutorials and templates, plus all that is available to you on HOWU — HOW Design University.
Disclaimer: HOW and Maya P. Lim (the author) had no affiliations to the sources listed at the time of publication.
The post Best Mockup Resources For (Almost) Any Situation appeared first on HOW Design.
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