If you are currently in art licensing or looking to get into this industry, there are two things you will hear artists often mention when discussing how to present your work to manufacturers — product mock-ups and sell sheets.
We covered a good tutorial last December on How to Create a Sell Sheet by teaming together two ALSC members Rebecca Baer and Joanie Bauer Hupp. Read the How to Create a Sell Sheet blog post here!
Presenting your art and designs to manufacturers is part of the process for potentially getting licensing deals. Either you are submitting your work as an independent artist, or your art licensing agent is. And having a professional presentation is very important.
Product mockups made from a blank product template can transform your art from a flat repeat without context, to giving it an identifiable presence. You can find many of these blank/white product templates for free or at online stock sites for purchase. Places include Etsy, Creative Market, or search on Google for “Product Image Templates.” The process to mock up your design onto a blank product template isn’t really too complicated but does require some knowledge of Photoshop and working with layers.
Some artists and designers like to create their own product templates like ALSC member Nancy Archer.
She created her own vector templates in Illustrator for a toddler girl’s dress w/ leggings and a baby onesie. Then, once the templates are created, she uses her eyedropper tool to fill her pattern designs into the section she wants. She then adds coordinating colors to other parts of the design.
After she has filled her design in with patterns and colors, she brings it into Photoshop where she adds a slight drop shadow to add depth to that layer.
Then her pattern collection layer is brought into Photoshop and positioned below the kid’s outfits. Add additional layers for your title and logo design. Save your master file as a hi-res layered .psd file. Then flatten the file, reduce to 72 dpi and “save as” to a jpeg. This is the low-res file you will use to send out to manufacturers.
Needless to say, the possibilities are endless on how to present your art and designs on products. There are some key things to remember. It’s important to use your art or design on a product category that fits well with the art. Put simply, a baby pattern on apparel, bedding, and nursery decor. In other words, you’re not likely to see a Halloween pattern in a baby nursery. It’s also important to pay attention to the “scale” of the pattern and how you use it on the product template.
See some more samples from ALSC Members and how they applied their art and designs to product mockup templates.
This next presentation is for an original watercolor/ mixed-media painting, by Cherish Flieder (Something to Cherish), mocked up onto a throw pillow for the home decor market.
Another avenue to consider for mocking up your art and designs is to open a POD (Print on Demand) shop. After you’ve uploaded your designs you can select which product items you want them placed on and usually the POD website will have software that will mock up the product for you! You can sell your products online or use the mocked up images for marketing and promoting your designs on products.
Above you can see how Tracey Coon (Noonday Design) used her Blue and Purple Wildflowers pattern design to be used on a coffee mug. It creates quite a professional product presentation with your art. Many POD sites have good a range of product images from which to choose.
Becky Schultea has created a template for her garden flag mockups. She has the rod iron stand, the flag and the shadows on different layers. She adds a new flag design, this one above from her Patchwork collection to her flag template. Having a template like this in your product mockup files saves time when you are putting together sell sheets or responding to art requests from clients.
Annie Troe showcases her whimsical snowmen painting and by creating a holiday greeting card design that is mocked up in a standard 5″ x 7″ size and placed on top of a red envelope. A soft drop shadow adds a little depth to the image. You can also add some elements to the background like a pattern or wood textures. Remember to keep your greeting card design as the focal point in the presentation.
DOWNLOAD THESE [ 5 ] PRODUCT MOCKUP TEMPLATES —> For ALL Art Licensing Show Portfolio Members — CLICK HERE!
These templates were created by the Art Licensing Show, contributed by ALSC members or sourced as royalty free files and are available for ALL ALSC Portfolio Members. FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY / NOT FOR RESALE.
ART LICENSING SHOW ~ Baby Onesie Clothing Template - Available for ALSC Portfolio Member DOWNLOAD!
CHERISH FLIEDER ~ Home Decor Throw Pillow Template - Available for ALSC Portfolio Member DOWNLOAD!
TRACEY COON ~ Coffee Mug Template (similar to POD file) - Available for ALSC Portfolio Member DOWNLOAD!
BECKY SCHULTEA ~ Garden Flag Template - Available for ALSC Portfolio Member DOWNLOAD!
ANNIE TROE ~ Greeting Card & Envelope Template - Available for ALSC Portfolio Member DOWNLOAD!
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You might also be interested in reading:
Creating Sell Sheets For Your Art Licensing Portfolio
Adriana said on September 5, 2017
Great templates! Thank you!
Sandra Zebi said on August 24, 2017
Thank you for the great article
Becky Schultea said on August 15, 2017
So grateful to Valerie for pulling together this great and helpful article! (I know it was a lot of work – thank you!) I was blessed and honored to be asked to share my little flag template, and I’m excited to have access to other’s templates as well! I just love this great community of artists and the wonderful tips and tricks that are shared that help us along the art licensing journey… Thanks also to Cherish for setting the tone for the whole site and for the countless hours you spend to make all this possible!
Art Licensing Show said on August 15, 2017
I’m so glad you can be a part of this awesome group of artists that I’m blessed to know here at ALSC. Keep up the awesome work Becky! – Cherish
Valerie said on August 17, 2017
Thank you very much Becky! And thank you for sharing your wonderful art and your flag template for ALSC Portfolio members to use!
Cherish said on August 11, 2017
Thank you for sharing the beautiful mock-up examples Nancy, Tracey, Annie and Becky. I’m honored to show my little marble pillow mock-up along side your lovely art. Thanks for all your work on this article Valerie. I’m pleased that it’s already helped so many of our Art Licensing Show artists to further their presentation ideas.
Valerie said on August 17, 2017
Thank you Cherish! Your wonderful watercolor art looks SO great in Home Decor!
Sally said on August 11, 2017
Thanks so much for all of these great examples and the mock ups!
Kristi said on August 11, 2017
Fantastic article Valerie! Thank you for sharing such helpful ideas and info. The mock templates are a great bonus! I was planning to purchase a mug and a garden flag mock today and just saw the downloads you included here. Thank you!!!
If anyone needs another resource for product mockups or room mocks etc. you can google Creative Market. I’ve found some beautiful mock ready items on that site—–not free, but there are some really excellent ones
Annie said on August 10, 2017
I LOVE this post! Awesome that ArtLicensingShow.com is providing this to members
BIG THANK YOU! Also, I am flattered that you used my new snowman art/card template – HUGS!
Tracey said on August 10, 2017
Great post! I agree, mockups really help…my agent has been having me do more and more of them for presentation to potential clients. Thanks so much for using my Wildflower art as one of the examples.
Michelle said on August 8, 2017
Thank you for the awesome mock ups!
Cyndi said on August 8, 2017
Thank you all so much!
Dale said on August 8, 2017
Fab post – Thank you ladies!
joanie bauer hupp said on August 7, 2017
Another GREAT article, on mock-ups . . . AND, how awesome to get some lovely templates to use, as well!!! Thank YOU, Valerie & Cherish!!!
Art Licensing Show said on August 15, 2017
So glad you are enjoying the templates to get you inspired Joanie!
— said on August 7, 2017
Thank you Valerie and Cherish for using my little demo! I am sorry about not sharing my Illustrator mockups, but we often have the conversations about not offering art up for free, it’s my income and it pays my mortgage and more. They are simple line drawings, and learning to this and more is key in this business. I do understand what Jeanne is saying about using the same template, sales sheet, but also feel that creating the templates and mockups are as much of the creative process as actually making the repeats, or art to be used in the surface design. Each design should drive what mockups work best, also. It’s very individual. It can also show a manufacturer that you have command of the art and the Adobe programs, and could be a good candidate for licensing if they need digital file modifications. Just my 2¢
I have learned a lot about Illustrator and Photoshop over the years doing what it takes to create these and many more types of projects for clients and for my portfolio. I do it, and do it, and do it again and learn by doing. Thank you again.
Valerie said on August 8, 2017
No problem at all Nancy for not sharing your mockups. That was not required for this article. The mockup templates provided to paying ALSC members is designed to help them get started — learning how to do the product mockup process. Which is shown beautifully with your graphics in the article. Thank you!
Lisa said on May 25, 2018
Nancy Archer, I have never used illustrator, I use CorelDraw. I’m hoping I have the same capability of templates like yours in that. Great demo!
Jeanne said on August 7, 2017
Question? Is it a problem to use Nancy’s Mock up template for the new Baby Art Challenge this month or would you prefer us not to?
I think moving forward it would be a good idea for everyone to use the same template/sale sheet for art challenges? It would put us all on the same playing field and help the manufacturers too, don’t you think?
You guys are awesome
Thank you.
Valerie said on August 7, 2017
Hi Jeanne, Nancy Archer was generous enough to show her product mockup process! I created a baby onesie template for ALSC members to download since it was so timely for the Baby Pattern Art Challenge. Hope this helps!
Kimberly said on August 7, 2017
That was so nice of you Valerie…is that the one you have posted have to download or do we find this somewhere else?
Valerie said on August 8, 2017
Yes, Kimberly, it is the Baby Onesie on the download page titled: Art Licensing Show Baby Onesie Clothing Template
Jeanne said on August 7, 2017
WOW! This is so nice of you all to share!! Thank you!!!
Madiha said on August 7, 2017
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!! for all this great info and amazing mock ups