How to Create Phone Case Mockups in Photoshop

Final product image
What You’ll Be Creating

If you want to create an iPhone mockup, you can use an iPhone template or create your own phone case mockup in Photoshop. The second option may sound complicated, but it gives you more flexibility. In this tutorial, I will show you how to create phone case mockups in Photoshop using a photo as a base.

If you want to save time, you can always use a mobile case mockup generator on Placeit

Follow along with us over on our Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel:

What You Will Need

You can download these images to follow the tutorial directly:

How to Create Phone Case Mockups in Photoshop

Step 1

Open your image in Photoshop (I used this one). Use the Pen Tool (P) in Path mode to select the outline of the phone case. Don’t forget to select the elements inside the outline that should not be a part of the case as well.

select outline of the case

Step 2

Press Control-Enter to create a selection. Then go to Select > Refine Edge. Check Smart Radius and increase the Radius to make the edge of the selection smooth. Press OK.

selection example
refine edge

Step 3

Create a New Layer. Fill it with 50% gray and name it Shape.

fill the selection

Step 4

Use the same selection and go to the Background layer. Press Control-J to copy the outline of the case. Drag it over the Shape layer.

duplicate the layer

Step 5

Use the Lasso Tool (J) to select the elements that are not a default part of the case. Then go to Edit > Fill and use the Content-Aware fill. Repeat the process for all elements like this.

select the element
use content aware fill
remove content aware
content aware remove elements

Step 6

Duplicate the layer with Control-J and hide the copy. Double-click the original and adjust the Blend If settings. Drag the upper white marker to the left to remove bright parts of the case. Use the Alt key to split the marker and create a smoother transition. Set the Blend Mode to Multiply and name the layer Shadow.

create layer duplicate
blend if settings
remove light from photo
multiply blend mode

Step 7

Duplicate the hidden copy and make it visible. Repeat the process, this time leaving more midtones between black and white. Set the Blend Mode to Soft Light and name the layer Midtone.

remove bright tones from layer
soft light blend mode

Step 8

Repeat the process, this time setting the Blend Mode to Screen and dragging the black marker to the right, to remove the dark parts of the case. Lower the Opacity to make the effect subtler, and name the layer Shine.

remove dark tones from layer
screen mode

Step 9

Make the last copy visible without copying it—this will be the last one. Set its mode to Linear Dodge and drag the black marker far to the right, to leave only the brightest parts. Name this layer Highlight.

remove shadows from layer
linear dodge mode

Step 10

The shading is done, so now we need to prepare the place for the design. Select the Shape layer and use the Rectangle Tool (U) in Shape mode. Hold Shift to draw a perfect square.

add square shape
add square

Step 11

Double-click the square layer and check Pattern Overlay. Select a pattern that will make it easy to see the perspective of the case, and press OK. Then right-click and select Rasterize Layer Style. Then again right-click and select Convert to Smart Object.

add pattern to square

Step 12

Use the Free Transform Tool (Control-T) to rotate and resize the pattern to fit the perspective of the case. Hold Control and drag the corners to make the sides of the square parallel to the sides of the case. When you’re done, press Enter.

adjust perspective

Step 13

Hold Alt and click the line between this layer and the Shape layer to create a Clipping Mask. Name this layer Design.

create clipping mask

Step 14

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Make the pattern as blurry as the blurriest of the fingers in the photo. Then paint on the Layer Mask with gray to remove the blur from the areas close to the sharp fingers. This will add more depth to the photo.

add gaussian blur
add perspective blur
paint on mask

Step 15

Select the Background layer and add a Solid Color layer. Pick bright red and set the Blend Mode to Soft Light.

add solid color fill
change blend mode

Step 16

Fill the Layer Mask with black and then paint with white, using a soft brush, to mark the shadows that should be colored by the reflection of the case. Name this layer Reflected Light and hide it.

paint on layer mask
create reflected color

Step 17

Finally, it’s time to add the actual design. Double-click the Design layer and go to File > Place to add your design. Resize it, save the file, and close it to go back to the mockup file. Your design will be automatically modified the way you modified the square before.

add pattern to mockup
create phone mockup

Step 18

Now, all you need to do is adjust the Opacity of the shading layers and pick a color for the Reflected Light layer.

mockup phone case

There’s no perfect recipe for the values you should use—they will depend on the material of the case. For example, plastic will have medium shadows and bright highlights, rubber will have bright shadows and dark highlights, and metal will have contrasting shadows and highlights. Experiment to get the results you need!

phone case materials

Ready-to-Use iPhone Templates

Now you know how to create a cell phone case mockup, but as you can see, it’s not exactly a quick process. If you want to save time, you can always use a mobile case mockup generator on Placeit. Yes, you will be less flexible this way, but the upsides are speed, ease of creation, and the sheer number of options. Let’s take a look at a few examples:

Gradient Background Phone Case Mockup

Let’s start with something simple. This phone case mockup comes with a customizable gradient background. You can also add text to create a promo image right away!

Gradient Background Phone Case Mockup

Professional iPhone Template

This iPhone mockup looks very clean and professional, giving you a view of both the back and the front of the phone. You can change the color of the background, or remove it altogether.

Professional iPhone Template

Woman Holding Phone Case

Adding a human face to your design will make it more eye-catching. This phone case mockup will make your vision for the case look real immediately!

Woman Holding Phone Case

iPhone Case Mockup in Real Life Situation

You can make the mockup look even better by adding some context. Maybe show the phone being used in a realistic situation? This will drag the attention away from the case, making it more believable.

iPhone Case Mockup in Real Life Situation

Phone Mockup Without Background

Or maybe you just need something simple and effective? This cell phone case mockup comes without a background by default, so you can replace it with any colors or photo.

Phone Mockup Without Background

Good Job!

Now
you know how to create phone case mockups in Photoshop.

iphone template generator

You can learn more about creating iPhone mockups here:

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