We've been using mockups for years.
Any time we released a new wallpaper pack, we'd show it on a real phone, a MacBook, a monitor. Not because it was necessary, but because it just made sense. People want to see how something actually looks before they buy it. A flat image of a wallpaper doesn't tell you much. Seeing it on a screen, in a real environment, tells you everything.
That's always been the thinking behind it.
What we never did was sell them.
We'd put together scenes for our own releases and that was it. But over time it became clear that a lot of people needed exactly the same thing — designers presenting work to clients, developers building App Store screenshots, creators putting together portfolio pieces — and there wasn't a great option out there that felt clean and minimal without being overdone.
So we made them properly.
Keeping it simple
The goal wasn't to create anything heavily styled or overly produced.
It was the opposite — just something clean enough to use across different projects without having to think about it.
- Minimal setup
- Neutral tones
- Soft, natural lighting
- Subtle depth
Nothing that competes with your design. Same approach we take with everything else — built to sit in the background and just work.
Real photos, not AI generated
A lot of mockups now are AI-generated or 3D rendered. Some look fine at first glance, but there's usually something slightly off once you pay attention. Lighting feels a bit fake. Shadows don't quite line up. Materials don't behave the way they should.
These are all based on real photographs of the actual Studio Display.
Which mostly just means everything behaves how you'd expect:
- Reflections look natural
- Lighting feels consistent
- Metal and glass actually look like metal and glass
It's not something you actively notice. But it makes the whole thing feel more solid.
The variants — it's just the surface
One thing that isn't immediately obvious — the difference between variants is actually pretty simple.
It mostly comes down to what the display is sitting on.
Steel (ST) — a stainless steel surface. A bit more character, slightly reflective, a bit sharper overall. Nothing overdone, just more depth from how the light interacts with the material.
Desk (DK) — a more neutral desk setup. Less reflection, softer feel, more familiar. Doesn't pull attention, which makes it easier to use across pretty much anything.
Steel feels a bit more striking. Desk feels more neutral. Most people end up using a mix without really thinking about it.
Why mockups are actually useful
They give your work context — instead of a floating design file, it feels like something real. They save time — no building scenes, faking shadows, or tweaking perspective. And they improve how things are perceived. Even a simple design feels more considered when it's presented properly.
Where they fit
These work across a lot of different situations.
Presenting a website concept to a client? A mockup makes it feel finished rather than a work in progress. They find it much easier to give feedback — and sign off — when they can actually picture the end result.
Selling digital products like UI kits, templates, or Notion dashboards? Your product image is often the first thing a buyer sees. A clean mockup makes the difference between someone clicking through and someone scrolling past.
Building an app? App Store screenshots presented in a real environment look far more professional than plain exports and set the tone before anyone reads your description.
Putting together a portfolio? Mockups make your projects look like live, shipped work rather than files on a blank canvas. That matters when someone is deciding whether to hire you.
Beyond that — social content, YouTube thumbnails, pitch decks, press kits. Anywhere you need your work to look its best.
Simple workflow
- Open the PSD
- Double-click the smart object
- Drop your design in
- Save
That's it. No extra steps.
One last thing
A good mockup won't fix a bad design.
But it will make a good one feel complete.
