Drapeshot
How to make clothing mockups without Photoshop
PSD mockups with smart objects are the classic way to put a design on a shirt. They work, but each file is one photo, and you need Photoshop open to use it. Here is what the PSD workflow does for you, and how to get the same result in a browser.
What a PSD mockup is actually doing
A good PSD mockup has a few layers working together. A smart object holds your design. A displacement map bends it along the folds. A shadows and highlights layer, usually set to multiply or screen, lays the photo's lighting over the print. A colour layer, masked to the garment, changes the shirt colour.
Each of those is a step you repeat, or a step that breaks when you drop in artwork of a different shape. And every PSD is one photo, so a set of ten listing images means ten files and ten rounds of editing.
The same steps, done for you
| In a PSD | In Drapeshot |
|---|---|
| Double click the smart object, paste, save, close | Drop your PNG once, it lands on every scene |
| Displacement map for folds | The print bends with the fabric in each photo |
| Multiply layer for shadows and highlights | The photo's light falls on the print |
| Masked colour fill for the garment | Pick a garment colour and every scene changes |
| Transform tool to size the print | Named print areas in inches, plus size, position and rotate |
| Export each PSD | Download a scene, or tick many and save one ZIP on Pro |
Make one in the browser, step by step
- Export your design as a transparent PNG. JPG, WebP and SVG also open.
- Drop it on the scene wall. Use the filters to narrow down by product, setting, front or back, and with or without a person.
- Choose a garment colour from the presets, or type your own into the colour picker.
- Open a scene to pick the print area, drag the design or use the sliders, and crop it if only part of the artwork should print.
- Pick a print look, from full colour to one, two or three ink screen print, halftone, riso, grain or distressed.
- Download the mockup, and the print file if you need one.
When Photoshop is still the right tool
For everything else, building mockups one PSD at a time is slow. Most sellers need the same design on many photos and many colours, and that is what a browser tool built for apparel is good at.
- You shot your own product photos and want mockups from them. Drapeshot only uses its own scenes.
- You need full control over every layer, like adding a label, a hang tag or a second design on the sleeve.
- You need a product Drapeshot doesn't have, such as mugs, phone cases or posters.
No install, no file juggling
Drapeshot runs in the browser, so there is nothing to install and no PSD files to download, store or keep track of. Each design you drop in becomes a project you can reopen later with its colour, look and placement as you left them.
It is free to try with every scene and colour. Free downloads carry a watermark. Pro gives clean 4,000 pixel mockups and 300 ppi print files.
Questions people ask
Can I upload my own PSD mockup?
No. Drapeshot uses its own photo scenes. You upload your design, not a mockup template.
Will the print look as real as a good PSD?
The print follows the fabric's folds and the photo's lighting, which is what a good PSD does with displacement and shadow layers. Try it with your design on the scene wall and judge for yourself.
Do I need a powerful computer?
No. It runs in a normal browser. Big batches on Pro take a little longer because each scene is drawn at full size.