If you want to create a pillow design, you will first need to make a pillow mockup to present to others. Mockups are used to give viewers a realistic idea of what your artwork will look like, in this case, on a pillow. There will be many different ways you can go about creating a pillow mockup, but it can often get confusing if not explain correctly.
There are quite a few steps to making a mockup pillow, but they are useful tools. Keep reading this article to learn all the important factors about creating a pillow mockup and to answer any questions you may have.
How Pillow Mockups are Made
Many steps go into creating a pillow mockup. Even though mockups are not difficult to learn, the steps to make one can become confusing if you do not have much experience with how they work.
When going through this list, keep in mind that what works for you will depend on what kind of pillow or design you are working with.
Find a Mockup Website
You will first need to find a platform that offers mockup templates. These will help you at every step along the way, so selecting the right one is important. Here is a list of a few websites where you can find pillow mockups.
- Placeit
- Freepik
- Creative Market
Ps. Our personal favorite is Placeit because they offer the largest selection, including free mockups, and they utilize One-Click Mockups.
One-Click Online Mockups
When making a pillow mockup, there are 2 main options you are presented with:
- One-Click Online Mockups
- Photoshop Created Mockups
By choosing to use one-click online mockups, you are able to simply select the design file from your computer, and upload it directly onto a mockup. This is the easiest way to make a mockup, however it often times comes with a fee (more on that later).
If you choose to go with Photoshop created mockups, then you will be downloading a mockup template, and importing it to Photoshop and creating the mockup manually. This is the more advanced option, but can be less expensive.
How Much Do Mockups Cost?
When looking at one-click online mockups, there is typically a fee associated with using the software. Our favorite one-click online mockup website is Placeit because they have the largest library of mockups, and they even have free mockup templates!
Placeit has 4 different options:
- Free Account: Limited free library
- Single Download: From $2.99 per download
- Monthly Unlimited: $14.95 per month
- Annual Unlimited: $89.69 per year
On the other hand, if you are more interested in downloading a mockup to edit in Photoshop, then you will have a lot more free options. Going to royalty-free image websites, you are able to download any images that offer the background you desire, and import it directly to Photoshop and create your mockup manually.
In short, if you can spend a few dollars on your mockup, using a one-click online mockup maker will make your life a lot easier!
Some Things to Remember When Creating a Pillow Mockup
Creating mockups for a pillow can be simple, but it can be a nightmare if you do not know how they work. Read below for a list of tips that will help you when you are trying to create a pillow mockup.
- Start with free templates, so you are not wasting money in the beginning
- Remember that your first few mockups will not be perfect
- Create multiple mockups in case the first one does not work out how you planned
When you are beginning anything new, there will be frustrations. Like everything, it will take time for you to perfect the art of making mockups for a pillow or any future products. However, once you get this process down, it can greatly benefit you and make the process far easier for any future designs and endeavors.
Why Should I Create a Pillow Mockup?
Like most things, there are both benefits and drawbacks to having a mockup for your pillow. Whether it is worth it to you depends on several things, such as whether you have the time or if presenting a visual representation of your product is important.
You might still be wondering if you should create a mockup or not to show off your future pillow. If that is the case, below, you will find the pros and cons of using a mockup for a pillow design.
Benefits
Before you are ready to make a profit off of your pillow, it is important to see if your artwork will look appropriate. When you use a mockup, you can give yourself an idea of what the real pillow will look like when all is said and done. Doing this will allow you to make any corrections you notice before the design comes to life. Other benefits include:
- Mockups are great to have for presentations. If you are working for a large company, you will likely be expected to have a prototype for your design. Anyone you are presenting to will be impressed by how professional and realistic your mockup looks, which is one of the easiest ways to present a new pattern.
- By using mockups, you can get a better understanding of who you are as a designer. You can try out various styles, shapes, and patterns without having to actually produce them, which will decrease the uncertainty of a pillow design and give your brain the freedom to create whatever it can think of.
- Mockups can give a general idea of what the pillow design will look like, without the designer having to stress over certain aspects that can later be figured out. One of the best parts of mockups is that they are not the final product and can be changed as more ideas are thought of.
Drawbacks
One thing that many people do not have the luxury of is time. And as great as mockups are, they can require massive amounts of time and energy if done manually. Having to spend so much time and energy can be frustrating for many, as some consider the time spent creating a pillow mockup to be a waste.
This is why we really recommend using a one-click online mockup maker like Placeit to make your pillow mockup.