How to Use Smart Object Mockups in DesignScape

Did you know you don't need Photoshop to use Smart Object Mockups. Learn how in this tutorial.

In our tutorial today we will show you how to use Smart Object mockups in DesignScape. Our unlimited and pro Plus Membership plans give access to this online alternative to Photoshop and Illustrator. Mockups are an essential tool for designers to showcase their work and it’s super easy in DesignScape. We will show you how to add a design to a mug as well as a three-sided tumbler.

You can access DesignScape through the Plus Membership page. Click on the Plus Membership at the top of the website page, then scroll just a bit down to find DesignScape. Next, click on DesignScape to open in a new window.

Step 1 - Open your Mockup

You can open and save various file formats in DesignScape. Once you have opened DesignScape, go to File > Open and click on the mockup you want to use. Make sure to click on the PSD file.

If you are not sure about the file, right click > Properties. If you see .psd as the extension for Type of file, then it’s the correct one.

When the PSD file opens, you will see the layers under the Layers panel on the right side. Next, double click on the thumbnail of the layer that says Double Click to add.

Step 2 - Drag and Drop your Design

A new tab will open up and this is where you will add your design. We are going to use the drag and drop method to bring the design into DesignScape.

Locate your design, then drag and drop it into the new tab.

Scale the design by holding Shift and clicking + dragging the corner handle in or out. When repositioning the design, move the image around until you see the red guide lines. These indicate that the design is centered.

We want to make the design stand out against the black mug. So we may need to change the color to a white if the design is dark.

Step 3 - Save the Smart Object

Once you are done with editing, we need to save the Smart Object. You can go to File > Save (Smart Object) or press Ctrl + S (PC) or Command + S (Mac).

DesignScape will tell you at the top that the Smart Object has been updated. Now go back to the original PSD file that you opened.

Almost like magic your design has been added to the mockup. No more worrying about curved surfaces or creating a realistic look. DesignScape does it all for you.

If you want to make further adjustments like sizing or change the color, click back on the Smart Object PSD at the top. Make your adjustments then remember to save the Smart Object again. It will be updated on the original file.

Now, say you want to take it a step further and use a tumbler mockup with three sides. Let’s take a look at how to do that in the next step.

Use a Three Sided Tumbler Mockup

Tumblers are a very popular way to showcase your designs. In DesignScape, it’s just as easy to add your work to a three sided tumbler mockup. For our example we used a tumbler mockup, a beautiful pink texture background and this fresh sarcasm png.

As with Step 1, open your mockup in DesignScape, remembering to select the PSD file. In the Layers Panel, double click on the layer that says Double-Click.

With this mockup you will notice that it has three blue lines. These indicate the area on each tumbler. Once again, drag and drop a design on the layer. We started with the background. Resize using the handles and position as needed.

Go to File > Save (Smart Object). Depending on the size of the background it may take a few seconds to update. Then have a look at the original PSD file. Isn’t that just amazing?

We then went back to the layer with the design and added a second design on top of that. Again, drag and drop your design onto the layer.

Resize and reposition as needed. Keep in mind, you can go back and change the designs, sizing and positioning however you want.

We saved the Smart Object so that it updated on the original PSD. Here is the result of our tumbler mockup.

Now that the mockup is done, we need to save it. Go to File > Export as > JPG. The file will usually be saved to your computer’s Downloads folder.

Your awesome mockup is ready to use.

We hope you enjoyed learning how to use Smart Object mockups in DesignScape. You can now display your designs with confidence, knowing just how amazing they look. With DesignScape, adding your designs to mockups has never been easier.