Mockups are indispensable tools used by designers to portray and present designs in a real-world context. A well-chosen mockup goes a long way toward enhancing the design process, whether it involves an identity program, an interface, or a piece of product packaging. Given the abundant resources available, how do you set about choosing the best one for your particular design project?
IconFair knows the weighty consideration that goes into selecting a mockup for any given design. In this article, we guide you through vital considerations overspreading the horizon of mockup selection, tips on using high-quality mockups to enrich your design experience, and your portfolio of works.
1. Know the Purpose Behind the Mockup
The very first thing in selecting the right mockup is to understand the purpose of it. What are you trying to communicate with your design? Are you making a logo for a brand, an app interface design, or an artwork to be presented? Choose a mockup that is in line with your design's ultimate goal.
To illustrate:
Logo: If you are displaying a logo, use a mockup that shows situations where the logo would be present in real life, such as business cards, signage, or websites.
App Design: For app design-related mockups, search for templates that depict the interface in actual devices like smartphones or tablets, providing a realistic sense for clients of how the app will look for users.
Print Designs: For prints, the mockup should exhibit your designs for actual media or merchandise such as brochures, flyers, or product packaging to show them how it will look in the world.
By assessing your design's purpose, you can adequately narrow down your choice of mockups, ensuring that your presentation stays relevant and persuasive.
2. Pick the Right Display Format
Mockups take various forms, from static images to 3D renders, and interactive to animated designs. Choosing the suitable format for your design will depend on the requirements specific to your needs and how you wish your audience to interact with your work.
Static mockups: Essentially simple, non-interactive images, these represent basic design projects perfectly. Static mockups are intended mostly for logos, posters, brochures, and print designs in general.
3D mockups: These are more dynamic, visually appealing ways to show your design. You could show your logo on a T-shirt, on a mug, or even up on a building facade. You are creating a better feel while showing potential clients how the design will look as it exists in the real world.
Interactive mockups: These are best for interactive applications such as websites or mobile apps. They would allow a client to click through to experience the design almost like it is a finished product. They are really great to use when presenting user experience and developing web and app designs.
IconFair has different mockups representing different kinds of designs in different formats. Consider your urge carefully while picking the one best representing your design.
3. Consider the Style and Aesthetic
A mockup should be suited to the tone of your design. If your design is modern, vintage, minimalist, or something more artistic, your mockup must reflect that vibe to avoid an artistic disconnect between the design and its presentation.
For example:
Modern style: Clean, simple lines with a neutral background would be preferred for the mockups.
On the other hand, an old, vintage design would favor textures or rustic elements such as old paper, wood, or retro colors.
Somewhat artistic backgrounds, such as abstract textures or dynamic lighting effects, will work best for very artistic designs.
A choice of mockup that aligns nicely with the design style will make for a much more cohesive career. The fact is, it allows you to maintain the audience's full focus on the design, without any distractions from conflicting presentations.
4. Pay Attention to Mockup Quality
Quality is important in mockups; anything less than that takes away the professionalism of your design. Ensure the mockups you select are those of high quality and resolution for the project.
What to look out for:
Increasingly high-resolution mockups: Assure yourself that the mockup in question is high resolution, at least 300 DPI, thus allowing you to present your design quite sharply and clearly.
Realistic rendering: Good mockups work the light, shadow, and texture rendering so well that it looks real when applied to a design. Avoid mockups that look overly flat or artificial.
Customization features: Many mockups are equipped with editable layers that allow you to change the colors, textures, or backgrounds. This is helpful when you need to fit the mockup with your brand colors or specific design elements.
At IconFair, we keep it one hundred percent in favor of selling only quality mockups that aim at beautifying your designs. The mere fact that the mockup you selected was poorly chosen may actually work against the prospective appearance of your end result.
5. Consider Flexibility
Sometimes mock-ups won't be enough to express your design completely. A flexible mock-up can be applied in so many different ways, giving you the chance to view your design on extra devices, products, or backgrounds. This is especially useful when creating a design, as it needs to be shown in more than one context.
For example, you design a logo; it should be designed so that it can be shown on business cards, websites, and maybe on merchandise. A versatile mockup with different scene selections frees time and allows you to showcase your logo in different real-life scenarios.
At IconFair, we have mockups that offer different scenes and templates as follows for using mockups in multiple contexts.
6. Consider Usability and Editing of the Mockup for It
Another thing you want to account for when looking for a mockup is how easy it is to edit. Look for easy-to-use mockups, so you won't have such a hard time customizing your design.
Must-have features:
Smart objects (for Photoshop): Mockups that include smart objects will allow you to place easily your design with some clicks directly into the mockup.
Layered files: Editable, layered files will provide complete control for customizing the effects applied to your design: shadows, backgrounds, and even textures. This flexibility is tailored to the needs of your design through the mock under consideration.
Software compatibility with designs: Ensure the mock works with the design software you use, whether it's Photoshop, Illustrator, or Sketch.
At IconFair, we provide mockups with easy-editing layers along with compatibility with popular design tools, making everything automatic when associating elements with compositions.
7. Don't Forget about the Mockup Context
Last but not least, be sure that the mockup you select aligns your design with the context you want. For example, if you are creating a website, the mockup is ideal when it displays your site on a laptop or tablet. If you are designing a product, then a mockup that shows your design on an actual product will make your presentation more real.
Consider how and where their designs will be viewed or used, and choose an appropriate mockup based on that context. For instance, a framed mockup of a restaurant menu would convey a much better proposed real-life situation than one of the menu shown all by itself.
Conclusion
Choosing the right mock-up for any design project might take quite some time, but it is worth the effort because it presents your design in the best possible way. Bearing in mind the intention, display format, style, quality, versatility, usability, and context, one could find a mock-up that complements the design and leaves clients mesmerized.
IconFair proudly presents a diverse range of customizable, premium mockups for every type of design project. From showcasing logos to websites, product packaging, or anything in between, we've got the perfect mockup for you. Browse through our collection and start making magnificent presentations that elevate your designs!