Book Mockup Template
What's inside
- Applications Photoshop
- File Types PSD
- License Free (see author's terms)
- Author Zippypixels
An annual report cover looks better on a book mockup than on a white artboard, and this mockup is set up for exactly that.
Good pick for cover designers, authors or anyone putting together a portfolio. Quick tip: design the spine too, even if it’s narrow. Book mockups showing the side look unfinished with a blank spine.
Clients sign off faster when they can picture the finished piece, and a flat PDF rarely does that as well as a photo of the book. If you’re building a full identity, pair it with an envelope or letterhead mockup for a matching set.
Works well for
- An annual report cover
- A cookbook
- A book cover
This is a free file from Zippypixels. When you click download you’ll land on their page to grab it.
What you can edit in this Book Mockup
Everything below is on its own layer:
- Your design, placed through the smart object
- Shadows and highlights on their own layers
- Paper or background colour
- Front and back artwork, where both sides are shown
Add your design to the Book Mockup
- Set up the design flat at the real print size and keep text inside a safe margin.
- In the Layers panel, find the layer with the small smart object icon and double-click it.
- Drop your artwork in, fit it to the canvas, save and close. The mockup updates by itself.
- Tweak the shadow and highlight layers to suit your colours.
- Save a JPG for clients and social media, and keep the PSD for later changes.
Another tip: keep text at least a few millimetres from the edge. The mockup shows the trim, and cramped margins read as a mistake.
Ways to use this Book Mockup
- Present a cookbook in a client proposal or brand guide.
- Show a novel jacket to a client before it goes to print or production.
- Use it as the cover image for a book cover in your portfolio.
Quick notes on this mockup
- Made by Zippypixels. The download size and format are listed on their page.
- Check the licence on the author’s page. Personal and commercial terms differ from file to file.
- Check the smart object size before you design, so your artwork fits without stretching.
- Built for Adobe Photoshop. A recent CC version handles the smart objects best.
More free book mockups are listed below, each linking to the original author.
Questions about this mockup
Is it free for commercial use?
It's free to download, but the licence belongs to Zippypixels. Check their page: it states whether commercial use is allowed and if attribution is needed.
How do I put my artwork on the book?
Find the smart object layer (it has a small icon on its thumbnail), double-click it, place your design, then save and close that tab.
Do I need Photoshop?
Yes. This is a PSD mockup built with smart objects, so you edit it in Adobe Photoshop. Any recent CC version works.
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.
