Soft Cover Book Mockup
What's inside
- Applications Photoshop
- File Types PSD
- License Free (see author's terms)
- Author Free Mockup Zone
Here’s a soft cover book mockup that works well for a novel jacket, an annual report cover and similar projects.
Useful for cover designers as much as for authors. A small 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.
The file is made by Free Mockup Zone. The download button takes you to their page, where you get the original file and the licence details.
Soft Cover Book Mockup: editable parts
Main things you can change in Photoshop:
- Your design, placed through the smart object
- Paper or background colour
- Front and back artwork, where both sides are shown
- Shadows and highlights on their own layers
How to edit this Soft Cover Book Mockup in Photoshop
- Set up the design flat at the real print size and keep text inside a safe margin.
- Open the PSD in Photoshop and find the smart object layer, usually named “Your Design” or “Place Here”.
- 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.
- Save a JPG for clients and social media, and keep the PSD for later changes.
One more thing: if the paper has texture, drop the opacity of your art by a few percent so the grain shows through.
Where the Soft Cover Book Mockup works best
- Present an annual report cover in a client proposal or brand guide.
- Share a cookbook on Instagram, Behance or Dribbble with a real-looking preview.
- Show a book cover to a client before it goes to print or production.
Before you download
- Made by Free Mockup Zone. 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.
- The preview shows the angle, background and lighting you’ll get.
Scroll down for similar book mockups from other designers.
Questions about this mockup
Can I use this book mockup for client work?
That depends on the author's terms. The download page lists what is allowed; when in doubt, ask the author directly.
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.
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.
Can I show both sides?
It depends on the file. Many print mockups include a front and a back smart object; the preview usually shows whether both sides are visible.
