featured image: How to Create Smart Object Mockup templates? Convert Canva Png Mockup to Smart Object Mockup

How to Create Smart Object Mockup templates? Convert Canva Png Mockup to Smart Object Mockup

Learn the step-by-step process of converting Canva PNG mockups to smart object mockups, avoiding common mistakes for flawless results.

Shohidur Rahman
June 4, 2024
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In this short tutorial, I will teach you how you can convert your Canva png mockup to smart object mockup like this – 

There are four important parts of this article – 

  1. How to convert Canva png mockup to smart object mockup.
  2. What NOT to do while converting Canva png mockup to smart object mockup.
  3. How to convert Canva png mockup to smart object mockup when the design is a bit complex.
  4. How to generate thousands of mockup templates in an automated fashion from your converted smart objects.

If you’re a visual learner, I suggest you watch this video in our official YouTube channel made by our founder Vikash Kumar Prajapati.

How to Convert Canva Png Mockup to Smart Object Mockup

First we need to understand why we are converting Canva png mockups to smart object mockups. There are two distinct advantages – 

  1. It gets much easier and faster to edit a smart object PSD mockup than a png Canva Mockup and oftentimes creates better quality results.
  2. With a PSD mockup you can automate the whole mockup template creation process and create thousands of mockups in one sitting.

With that out of the way, let’s get into the process.

The Process of Converting Canva Png Mockups To Smart Mockups

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will be using this Canva png mockup – 

the canva png template for the tutorial

After this we need to take a random design as placeholder from our design library to drag and drop on the design like this –

putting the design on the template
putting the design on the template

After this click on the check mark in top middle to finish this step.

clicking checkmark to finish the process
clicking checkmark to finish the process

Next step is pressing ctrl+T for windows or “cmd+T” which will allow you to resize the design. Resize the design to completely hide the tumbler.

making the design bigger for the placeholder
making the design bigger for the placeholder

Then press and hold Ctrl or Cmd + left click on the layer.

choose the layer
choose the layer

After the left click, you’ll see a highlight around the image.

highlights around the image

Now turn off the visibility layer and our placeholder is done.

After making the placeholder, we will go to the next step.

For the next step, we will create a new layer. Then fill the new layer with any random color. We are filling it with blue. For the color filling go to Edit → Fill and choose a color.

fill the placeholder with a color
fill the placeholder with a color

This will fill up our placeholder with the color you choose and the process is almost done.

To deselect the placeholder, press Ctrl+T or Cmd+T and the highlights will be gone.

Then make the fill into a smart object → deleting the previous design → and dragging the smart object under the main layer. The result will look like this.

drag the smart object under the main design

The last step is pressing Ctrl+T or Cmd+T to see the bounding box of your design, make the box fit the design and try to put the center of the box in the center of your product. 

fitting the box in the middle

Save the file as PSD and now your smart object mockup from Canva png template is done.

You can now use the PSD like any other PSD file and just replace the smart object with your design. The end result will be an awesome tumbler mockup template.

the final output

What NOT to Do When Converting Canva png Mockup to Smart Object Mockup

Although the process shown above is really simple, we know some of you might be tempted to get a shorter and easier version of it.

The most common mistake is trying to use the marquee tool like this for an easier placeholder instead of your design and doing something like this.

canva png mockup template

It might look just like the previous process in the start and middle but at the end, you will get a smart object that is too narrow for your tumbler wrap design.

Size issue

As you can see, this is not the way it works.

How to Convert Canva png Mockup to Smart Object Mockup When The Design Is a Bit Complex

The previous Canva png image was quite simple but what to do when the design is complex like the below image.

canva png mockup with two tumblers
canva png mockup with two tumblers

Don’t worry, the process is still pretty straightforward with some added extra steps.

As you can see, there are two tumblers in this Canva png mockup template.

So the first difference from the previous process is, we have to do it twice.  Let’s start with the right one first.

Making Smart Object Layer For The Right Tumbler In The Canva Png Mockup

For the right one, do the full process which we did earlier for the single tumbler. At the end, you will get an outcome like this.

finishing the previous steps

Then use the polygon lasso tool and try to make a selection around the right tumbler like this –

polygon lasso tool
polygon lasso tool

After that Click “D” on your keyboard or just change the foreground color to black like this.

changing foreground color

Then click on the “Layer Mask” button at bottom right and you’ll get a result like this.

finished result
finished result

Now, choose layer 2 and click  Ctrl +J or Cmd + J to make a copy of the layer, then delete the original smart object and turn off the visibility for Layer 2. to finish the process.

Making Smart Object Layer For The Left Tumbler In The Canva Png Mockup

For the left tumbler, press Ctrl + T or Cmd + T while the “Layer 2 copy” is selected and then make the layer fit the left tumbler like this by tilting and resizing.

working on the left tumbler
working on the left tumbler

Then again take the Polygon Lasso tool to make an outline for the left tumbler.

Then click on the “Layer Mask” button at the bottom right and the process is finished.

Special Circumstances Making Smart Object Layer For The Left Tumbler In The Canva Png Mockup

With complex designs can come some unexpected difficulties. Like in our last image, we can clearly see some color left on the right tumbler. So let’s fix it.

Make an outline around the problem area with the marquee tool like this – 

outline with the marqee tool around the issue


Then go to Edit → Fill → choose the color black. It will clean out the output.

After the cleanup process, the process is finished and you’ll get two smart objects on your tumblers.

finished psd mockup from the canva png mockup

Pro Tip: click and hold the “Option” key and scroll up and down to zoom in/out. It will help you check the overall look and find any issues that are in the design.

How to generate mockup templates in an automated fashion from your converted smart objects

For this step, we need our revolutionary software BulkMockup which can create thousands of mockup templates in an automated fashion without any of your input.

You just have to prepare the folders you want to put your templates and designs and want your outputs saved.

bulkmockup UI

After you open BulkMockup, you’ll see three folder options.

  1. One where you keep the PSD mockup templates you just made.
  2. One where you’ll keep the designs you want to put on your product.
  3. One where you want the finished mockup templates saved automatically.

Make the three folders, choose them in Bulkmockup in the proper places and click “START GENERATING”

Bulkmockup will automatically put the designs on your converted PSD mockups and save the output in the Export folder.

After BulkMockup has cycled through all your design and templates automatically, the generating would stop and you’ll have the finished product in the Export folder.

finished outcome from BulkMockup auto mockup generator

I know it sounds too good to be true so I encourage you to check out our Youtube Channel where we do these live, every week.

Shohidur Rahman
Hey, I’m Shohidur, the content guy behind Bulk Mockup. In the past, I ran a print on demand tshirt store, where I learned the nitty gritty of the industry. Being in the industry for 7 years I understand the challenges faced by print on demand entrepreneurs of now. My main goal is to help print on demand sellers through the content I produce for Bulk Mockup.

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