What Is Mockup?
Updated · Vorex Packaging
A mockup is a visual preview of how your packaging will look once printed and assembled, usually a 3D digital rendering of the box with your artwork applied. It helps you judge layout, colors and branding before production, and some suppliers also offer physical mockups or samples to check size and feel.
A digital mockup wraps your flat artwork onto a 3D model of the box so you can see every panel as a customer would. Physical mockups are hand-made or short-run samples you can hold, open and test with your product.
What a mockup is good for
- Checking that logos, text and patterns face the right way on each panel.
- Seeing how panels meet at edges and folds.
- Sharing a realistic image with partners or for pre-launch marketing.
Mockup vs proof
A mockup is mainly for visual approval of the design. A proof is the production check: it shows the artwork on the actual dieline with cut, fold and bleed lines, and it is what you approve before printing. Screen colors in a mockup are not an exact guide to printed color. If fit is a concern, ask about a physical sample so you can test the product inside before ordering in volume.
