Book Cover Mockup
What's inside
- Applications Photoshop
- File Types PSD
- License Free (see author's terms)
- Author Mockup Planet
Here’s a book cover mockup that works well for a book cover, an annual report cover and similar projects.
Useful for authors as much as for cover designers. A small tip: design the spine too, even if it’s narrow. Book mockups showing the side look unfinished with a blank spine.
It also makes a good cover image for a Behance or Dribbble post, where the first thumbnail decides whether anyone clicks. If you’re building a full identity, pair it with an envelope or letterhead mockup for a matching set.
Mockup Planet created this one and hosts the download on their own site, so you always get the latest version straight from the source.
What’s inside the Book Cover Mockup PSD
The PSD is layered, so you can change:
- Your design, placed through the smart object
- Shadows and highlights on their own layers
- Paper or background colour
Add your design to the Book Cover Mockup
- Get your artwork ready at print size, with 1/8 inch of bleed if it runs to the edge.
- In the Layers panel, find the layer with the small smart object icon and double-click it.
- Place your design, hide the sample artwork, save, and go back to the main file.
- Turn the texture layer up or down to match the paper you’ll print on.
- Export a full-size image for your portfolio and a smaller one for social media.
Another tip: dark designs often look flat on paper mockups. Turning the highlight layer up slightly brings back the sheen.
Where the Book Cover Mockup works best
- Show a cookbook to a client before it goes to print or production.
- Present a novel jacket in a client proposal or brand guide.
- Make two or three colour versions of an annual report cover and let the client pick.
Good to know
- Made by Mockup Planet. The download size and format are listed on their page.
- Check the smart object size before you design, so your artwork fits without stretching.
- The preview shows the angle, background and lighting you’ll get.
- Check the licence on the author’s page. Personal and commercial terms differ from file to file.
Scroll down for similar book mockups from other designers.
Questions about this mockup
What licence does it come with?
That depends on the author's terms. The download page lists what is allowed; when in doubt, ask the author directly.
How do I add my design?
Open the file in Photoshop, double-click the smart object thumbnail, paste or place your artwork in the new tab, save it (Ctrl/Cmd + S) and close. The main file updates on its own.
Which Photoshop version do I need?
A recent Photoshop CC version is best. Older versions can open the file but sometimes have trouble with smart objects and effects.
Will my artwork look printed or pasted on?
Most print mockups keep the paper texture and lighting on separate layers above your design, so it takes on the grain and shadows. If it still looks too clean, lower the opacity of your artwork a little.
