If you've noticed that your designs don’t appear as expected in the mockups, you are in the right place.  This article will help you troubleshoot the most common issues to ensure your mockups are as accurate as possible!

A couple possible problems with your mockups

When you upload your artwork, it needs to fit the designated print or stitch area on the product. If the artwork is too large or small for the area, the mockup tool will automatically resize it, which can cause stretching, cropping, or pixelation. This can happen across all custom product types that we offer, whether you’re designing any t-shirt, labels or patches.

The mockup feature is designed to give you an accurate preview of how the design will look in real life, but if your artwork isn’t the right size, it might appear distorted when applied to the mockup. So, while the feature itself is an amazing tool to visualize your designs, it’s important to ensure that your artwork is sized correctly to avoid these common issues.

How to Ensure Your Artwork Looks Perfect in the Mockup

1. Match Artwork to the Product Size

   To avoid distortion in the mockups, the first thing you need to do is ensure that your digital file matches the real size of the product. For example, if you’re designing a 2” x 2” patch, your artwork should be 600px x 600px (at 300 DPI) or if you need a 10" X 10" print, then your artwork should be 3000 px X 3000 px. This way, the design will automatically fit within the print area of the mockup without being stretched or distorted.

2. Crop Your Artwork Tightly

   If your artwork includes extra space or borders around the design, it can get resized incorrectly in the mockup, causing unwanted distortion. To avoid this, make sure your artwork is tightly cropped around the design. This ensures the design fits precisely in the product's designated print or stitch area.

3. Maintain the Correct Proportions (Aspect Ratio)

   Make sure your design maintains its original proportions. If it’s square, it should remain square. If you try to force a square design into a rectangular print area (for example), the artwork will be stretched and lose its original look. Keeping the aspect ratio intact ensures your design will appear correctly in the mockup.

4. Use High-Resolution Files (300 DPI)

   Low-resolution artwork (below 300 DPI) may appear pixelated or blurry, especially when shown in a larger mockup or on a physical product. To keep your design sharp and clear, make sure your artwork is 300 DPI. This ensures the best possible outcome both in the mockup and on the final product.

5. Preview and Adjust with the Mockup Tool

   The new mockup feature is a great way to see how your design will look on the final product. If your artwork doesn’t look right in the mockup—whether it’s stretched, cropped, or misaligned—you’ll be able to catch these issues early. Simply adjust the size of your digital file or crop the design to ensure it fits perfectly before placing your order. The mockup tool provides a realistic preview, so you can make sure everything looks just as you imagined
   

Uploading the artwork to the website

With the artwork prepared, I uploaded it directly while selecting the embroidered patches. Since the file was already sized to match the real patch, the preview aligned properly on the product page.

Customizing the t-shirt

Next, I customized a t-shirt and added the woven patch to the left chest placemen

Reviewing the mockup

On the generated mockup, the patch displayed in the correct proportion on the t-shirt. Because the artwork was sized properly from the beginning, the mockup reflected the patch dimensions accurately.

Correctly sized artwork = accurate mockups and consistent final products.