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Learn how to create impressive mock-up designs. In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the Vanishing Point Filter to get quick and professional presentation results. The final result is a realistic looking box that looks well-worn, as if it were shipped worldwide. Use these techniques to create other mock-ups in your design work as well.
Final Image Preview
Before we get started, let’s take a look at the image we’ll be creating. click the screenshot below to view the full-size image. As always, the full layered Photoshop file is available via our PSDTUTS Plus membership.
Step 1
We’ll start with the grunge image. You can use a Web banner, a disk label, or anything you want. This tutorial is about creating a mock-up intended to improve the final presentation of your work. Feel free to use any image you prefer.
First create a new blank document 1000px by 330px, RGB, 72 ppi, and paste this image as a background. Then save the document with the name of "My texture." Keep this file handy, as we’ll need it later in the tutorial.
Step 2
Adjust the image Levels using these values.
Step 3
Now add some images to create a grunge collage. Paste this image of a guitar player into a new layer above the background. Then go to Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal. Set the Blending mode to Darken. Resize it and place it near the building. Finally use the Magic Wand Tool to select all the white areas of the guitar player and delete them.
Step 4
Find more images and paste them anywhere you like. You can use this image. Select the Magic wand Tool. Then delete all the background and paste it at the center of the collage.
Step 5
Use a grunge font to add some text. I used a font called Acid Label, downloaded from here. Then set the type color to (#130900) and try to get something like the image below. Save your document and flatten the image.
Step 6
Create a new document that is 1024px by 768px, RGB, 72ppi. Create a gradient background that goes from (#000000) to (#302013) using the values in the image below.
Step 7
Hide the gradient layer. Then create two more layers above it and name both "Dark Gradient 1" and "Dark Gradient 2" respectively. Then press D to load the default palette. Fill both layers using the Gradient Tool (black to transparent). Use the values in the image below.
Step 8
Now paste this image in the center of the document. I chose it because it’s a nice handcrafted box that looks like a shipping crate, which is perfect to mock-up a grunge design. Fix the imperfections of the image using the Clone Tool and Healing Brush Tool. Alt-click to select the clone source.
Tip: Photoshop CS3 Extended has a useful Tool. click on Window > Clone Source. Select "Show Overlay." You will see a transparency of the image you are cloning. This will help you with precise healing.
Step 9
Select all the white background with the Lasso Tool and then delete it. Add a Drop Shadow and an Inner Shadow, using the values in the image below. Use the Dodge Tool and Burn Tools to brush with these settings: 50px, Hardness: 0%, Range: Midtones, and Exposure: 25%. This will lighten and darken some areas of the box.
Step 10
Now we will add a wrinkled paper texture to our design. I used this image. Paste it into a new layer below the "Box" layer and name it "Paper." Put it in the upper margin, a bit up the middle of the document. Then adjust the Hue/Saturation using the values in the image below. Set Blending Mode to Color Dodge. Finally, go to Layer > Layer mask > Hide all, and draw a black-white Radial gradient.
Step 11
Hide both the "Box" and "Paper" layers. Create two new layers below the "Paper" layer and name them "Light" and "Shadow" respectively.
Use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to create an oval in each layer. Then Select>Modify>Feather and set the Feather radius to 25px. Fill one with a light color like (#C6A478) and the other with a dark color like black. Show the hidden layers and Free Transform the ovals to get a better result. Finally, with the "Light" layer set the Layer Opacity to 35% and "Shadow" Layer Opacity to 95%.
Step 12
Open the "My texture" file (the grunge collage we created earlier). Then copy the flattened image. Create a new layer above the "Box" layer. Name it "Texture" and select it.
Here comes the best. We will use the new feature of Vanishing Point Filter to create several perspective planes into a single filter. Click on Filters > Vanishing Point. Then start creating a single plane using the Create Plane Tool, Ctrl+Drag (WIN) or Command+Drag (MAC) a side point of the plane (not a corner point) to create a perpendicular plane. Then Alt+Drag to edit the angle of the new plane, trying to follow every surface of the box.
Tips: If you want to delete a plane, just select any side point and press Delete. If you cover the front and left side it’s OK. It’s optional to cover the top side.
Step 13
Paste the flattened image in the Vanishing Point window. Then drag it over the surfaces and place it wherever looks good. You can resize and rotate the image if you need to. If there are some overlapping planes, Ctrl-click or Command-click a plane to change the overlapping order. Then click OK when you’re finished.
Step 14
Ctrl (Command) + click the Box layer to get the exact box shape. Then Ctrl (Command) + Shift + I to invert the selection. Then select the "Texture" layer and press Delete. Finally, change the "Texture" layer’s blending mode to Multiply.
Conclusion
Optionally, you could paste more objects like text, images, or anything in the box top. Play with blending modes and effects. You can use this technique to create mock-ups of anything you want: CD labels, product boxes, DVD covers, and more. Try it!
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By Alvaro Guzman
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Nice. I didn’t know how to do this.
fantastic !! stop complaining please. This is amazing !
Great tutorial!
Good tutorial. For those of you who were wanting someone to show you how to make the box: You can use the same technique to create a box using plywood or 2by4 textures. It’s not difficult. Try it, record your steps, then post it on PSD Tuts and make 150 bucks!
Awesome tutorial! How about one on making a box?
@Flaunt… Ouch! That really hurt but that was funny! I have to agree with you though. On many occasions I have come across Tuts that I thought were just OK and sometimes cheesy but I never took the time to bash it. If you don’t like it then just move on and wait for something better. I personally haven’t used vanishing points for a while and found this tutorial refreshing. It inspired me to try something that I have been thinking about working on. Peace!!!
Supercool!
Hi all. We are going to be tagging tuts with a difficulty level. This will put more context on the tut. If a tut is marked Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced (I’m not sure if these will be the exact tag names) then it will indicate its intended audience better. This will clear up the issues some people have had with this tut.
My opinion is that this is a great tut targeted at an Intermediate Photosohop user. Vanishing points are not a Beginner subject. Advanced users should already know how to use this though, and are likely not the target for this tut. Though even an Advanced user that hasn’t been using this feature lately might appreciate being reminded of it.
I really like this tutorial, but it’s targeted at me, as I’m an Intermediate level Photoshop user. We plan on having a range of tutorials for all levels of Photoshop users on the site. Collis mentions this in the latest news item, link here. After the tagging system is launched we’ll ask for feedback. We should have it working soon.
Thanks.
Excellent Tut!!
O, I have seen a couple vanishing point tutorials, but most speak in terms that just go straight over the readers head!! huh!!….but reading through this I totally get it now!! 
) thanks for sharing!!
I knew how to do it, but definitely usefull for people who didn’t
Looks really cool!
To those who are complaining, maybe they should not do any more tutorials since im sure there is someone out there who already knows how to do it. Or maybe since some how many of you think the site revolves around you they should ask every single one of you if the technique in the tutorial is new to you and if its not then they wont put it up.
Hey that’s cool Alvaro!!
Especially the end effect looks really good! I’m sure, except for this tutorial, most people won’t be able to tell that the sides have been superficially put there in Photoshop!!
Only the ‘light’ towards the top doesn’t look right, may be the textured background should have continued further in that direction!!
And yeah, I didn’t know vanishing points!! So, full points from my side!!:D
VERY bad VERY poor and VERY ugly stupid use of paper texture!!!!
thats all i can say.
realy nice tut
i did not know about this technique so i find this tut realy helpful thanks
I knew how to do it, but definitely usefull for people who didn’t know.Thanks for sharing.
WoW Wow and SUCh a good tutorial and have ever used this effect but now actually this is
Very Essential Work as he said Dvd Covers and Bla bla …..that Cool Keep going
stop complaining about FREE tutorials. just the fact alone that we have something new to read a couple times a week is awesome, let alone the fact that its teaching most of the people something they didnt know. thank you for putting the time and the effort in to communicating something you have knowledge. i apologize on behalf of the few that think they deserve something more from a free tutorial site.
great tutorial for those of us who can’t use the distort tool and manually do this is less time.
Great tutorial! Thanks for sharin’!
it’s a tutorial. not everyone knows about vanishing point, some rarely get an opportunity to use it. this is a decent way of showing new comers to photoshop a new tool and some of us photoshop regulars how to apply tools we never use. criticize all you want, but nobody said you had to use the crate or the paper background. it’s a tutorial, man make it your own! after all, we are here to learn technique NOT (hopefully) copy someone else’s design word for word, asset for asset and take credit just because you technically did it yourself. if you don’t like the finished product, don’t use the effect or make it yours. i can’t wait to see Dan’s tutorial on this site since he seems to be so good!
Hmmm…what’s the practical use of this. The final image is pretty neat but, I still ask.
- http://www.shaverdesign.com
anyone who’s done a fair amount of ad building knows about this technique.
have any of you ever re skinned a sofa or table set to show off future designs? maybe it’s the same physical object amd you want to show a customer how you customoive the design/upholstery.
you think those 360/ps3 skins fall out of thin air?
maybe i just think outside the box. maybe some of you believe a MOCK UP (its in the heading) is useles, and that your final product will be used the first time, thus not invalidating hours of work.
can the flammage trolls. if you dont like it, point out what was bad, not use some “gut feeling”.
;(
i really hate the flammage on both sides lately, and here i am doing it.
maybe comments should be disabled and diggs be the only way to evaluate.
I thought we were going to learn how to build the box from scratch too. That would have been great. Photoshop tells you how to use vanishing points, it doesn’t tell you how to build a box.
dont’ use lasso tool. menu- window – paths. select path and ctrl + mouse click
awesome outcome!
Well…. i dont know why but its good point show this.
Most photoshop users even dont know about the potencial of vanishing point ….
This tutorial is good..
Yeah… really great tutorial! Thnx!
Lovely tutorial
Hey guys will you be able to give me more sites on tutorials plz.
wow, that’s awesome! I thought it would show us how to make the box, but no. it’s awesome anyway! I have to learn everything about photoshop and all these techniques for the future, cuz I don’t know any of this. thumbs up to whoever submitted this!
Meh!
stop complain its a good tutorial!
I didnt know about eh v.points.
So thanks again!
i was hoping it would be how to build the box. not bad tut though
Cool tutorial; thanks! This is a great way to learn Photoshop. The Vanishing Point step wasn’t crystal clear, though; I wasn’t able to get the pasted image to “wrap” from one pane into the next…? I ended up copying and pasting two sections of the collage separately for the two sides. Would love to know how to wrap one image continuously around corners, etc…
great tut, im trying it now
Really Creative, Awesome, Great Job…………
…………….keep it up
How to make a pic of a crate, step 1: get a photo of a crate…
Wow! Impressive! O.o
i agree with Sebah if u want to know something you must to experiment not only wait for an tutorial that will show you exsacly what to do and on this way as this tutorial will u remember how to use vanishing pont; and if it doesnt write anywhere in this tutorial how to use vanishing point go to google and search how to use it! I did that and i know now how to use vanishing poin its easy and i have learn a lot of new things in this tutorial
This site is the best it have a lot of great tutorials keep going that way!
(sory for my bad english)
M32aTa
really cool!
soon going to study about vanishing point!
thanks Alvaro Guzman!!
I think it is a good tutorial, i hardly used the vanishing point option!
tremendous
great work
I had some problems with the vanishing point option, but I overcame them, and finally I got a good image
. thanks for the tutorial, it was very intersting for me.