4 Easy Steps to Creating a Kickass Mac Mockup

4 Easy Steps to Creating a Kickass Mac Mockup
Meta Description: Having a great design for a website is no longer enough. If you want to wow clients, you have to give them a kickass Mac mockup presentation as well.
So you’re a really talented graphic designer—you can design a website and mobile application. And you are really good at it. But being good—even being great—is not enough to net a client. How can you snag a client of people don’t even know how good you are?
Don’t just wait for people to approach you. You can’t just rely on your amazing talent to allow people to get you as a web or mobile app designer. There is work to be had to get a client. You need to wow people with your work in order to convert the prospect into a client. One way to do that is through a presentation.
There are different ways to present a digital design. You can use PowerPoint or SlideShare, but the most effective would have to be a Mac mockup. As the name suggests, this kind of presentation uses the MacBook as a tool in showcasing a prototype of your website design or mobile application design.
Here are four steps to create a professional Mac mockup presentation:
1. Jot down your ideas on a notepad
When you work solely on a digital platform, it is easy to forget that old school tools work. Being on the computer is as natural for a graphic designer as breathing. Ideas should not be natural, though. These are going to be your guide in creating kickass web designs. Besides, if you just type your design ideas in a digital notepad, you are not going to see it all the time while you are crafting your output on the screen of the MacBook or iMac—or whatever it is that you are using.
So, generate ideas and write them down on a notepad or any paper. Tuck it on the wall in front of you or on your desk. This way, these ideas will always be staring at you while you prepare your MacBook Pro mockup or MacBook Air mockup.
When you are reflecting on your ideas, you have to include things about your prospective client. Remember that the presentation is for you to get them to be on board with your design. You want to impress them. So you have to include ideas that would represent their brand. You have to incorporate the brand’s mission, vision and core values in your design projects.
2. Create your design from scratch
Start the design process from a blank canvas. It is easier to create when there are no competing items on the screen. If you have a number of design ideas floating in your head, start every idea on a blank screen. This, so that every design object will not compete with the object from another design idea. When you have time to step away from the design drafts, you will have a better time incorporating one concept to the other.
3. Identify which Mac mockup to use for your design presentation
There are hundreds of free MacBook mockups and iMac mockups available online. You have to identify which one will look great with your design, and which one is appropriate for the company you are trying to design for.
Presentation is crucial when pitching a design. A great design is important, but it can only get you so far. It could probably open doors for you, but as far as being welcomed to the dwelling, it takes more than just that. Creativity is needed in creating a great design, but it has to spill out to the presentation as well.
Presentation also involves smart thinking. You have to know what kind of mockup would communicate the design best, taking into consideration what the prospective client needs. A mockup is a powerful tool in convincing clients that your design fits their brand perfectly.
Now in order to choose the kind of mockup you need, you have to be circumspect about what will showcase the design best. A flat design, for example, is minimalist concept. Many designers have called it boring, but in a lot of cases, this really works. This is especially effective with mobile devices because they are slower to load compared to their bigger counterparts. By going away with more colors and design texture and other elements, you will allow the design to load faster in an Apple device even if it is on an iPhone or iPad.
Another minimalist tool is the clay mockups, which are available through digital online store Ramotion. They mockups are available in PSD and Sketch. This type of mockup generally allows the design to speak louder. The mockup generally is a blank canvas. Ramotion’s digital products only use black and white backgrounds. You can go crazy with your design and there will be no background objects to clash with.
Devices mockup, on the other hand, is the perfect way to showcase how your design will look in different screens: from the large iMac to the convenient MacBooks, down to the mobile gadgets like iPad and iPhone. You can also choose a devices mockup that includes the Apple watch. This kind of mockup implies versatility in design. It tells clients that no matter the screen, your design looks just as amazing.
The great thing about using a Mac mockup is that Apple devices are known for their high resolution. The visual imagery reflected through the device could help convince clients that you are the way to go.
4. Use Smart Objects
When you are looking for a mockup template, find one that uses Smart Objects. That means you have to use a PSD mockup because a smart object will preserve the image’s source content. This will allow you to adjust the PSD file in your design and it will not affect the original content. Smart Objects are made with smart layers. When you edit one layer, you can just peel it off and the original layer will retain the original characteristics.
Mockups as visual tool
Mockups are not the final product—obviously. But it is close to the real thing. It is a great visual tool for you to showcase your creativity and ability to design a great web page or mobile application. Mockups will make presentations easier for you. And since there are hundreds of them available online, you can concentrate on creating great content for your clients.
Web design has evolved greatly over the years. Businesses now need a website to survive in this competitive world. Here are some web design lessons for you according to Forbes. Mobile application is also slowly becoming a business tool. This means that there are so many opportunities available for a designer like you. Now is the best time to shine! Now if only you can get some clients…