Welcome to Mockup Generation!

This section walks you through creating your first batch of mockups from start to finish. By the end of this guide, you'll understand the complete workflow and be ready to generate professional mockups for your products.

4.1 Understanding the Workflow

The Bulk Made plugin follows a simple three-step process:

• Select Folders – Choose your PSD templates, PNG designs, and output location
• Configure Processing Settings – Choose resize mode, processing type, substrate, and quality
• Process All Combinations – Generate mockups automatically

Important Concept: Every PNG on Every PSD

The plugin creates every possible combination of your designs and templates:

• 3 PSD templates + 5 PNG designs = 15 mockups
• 10 PSD templates + 20 PNG designs = 200 mockups
• All mockups use the same processing settings

💡 Pro Tip: Organize your work by substrate, product shape and processing type. Process all wood products together, all slate products together, etc. This ensures consistent settings across similar products and similar shaped designs. Eg a design that works on a wooden square plaque will also work on a wooden box – this is a great way to increase you volume of listings and make the most out of your design assets.

4.2 Before You Start: Organize Your Files

Create a Folder Structure

We recommend organizing your files like this:

Bulk Made Projects/
├── Templates/
│ ├── Wood Products/
│ │ ├── WoodenCoaster.psd
│ │ ├── WoodenCoaster.jpg
│ │ ├── WoodenPlaque.psd
│ │ ├── WoodenPlaque.jpg
│ │ ├── ChoppingBoard.psd
│ │ └── ChoppingBoard.jpg
│ ├── Slate Products/
│ │ ├── SlateCoaster.psd
│ │ ├── SlateCoaster.jpg
│ │ ├── SlateSign.psd
│ │ └── SlateSign.jpg
│ └── Glass Products/
│ ├── WineGlass.psd
│ └── WineGlass.jpg
├── Designs/
│ ├── Square-Wood.png
│ ├── Rectangle-Wood.png
│ ├── Circle-Wood.png
│ ├── Square-Print.png
│ └── Rectangle-Print.png
└── Output/
├── Wood Mockups/
├── Slate Mockups/
└── Glass Mockups/

💡 Note: JPG versions of templates are reference images only—the plugin uses the PSD files. Not all systems display PSD thumbnails, having the JPG in the same folder (organized by file name) gives a quick visual reference.

File Requirements Checklist

PSD Templates:

• ✅ Must contain at least one smart object
• ✅ Can be Bulk Made templates or your own custom templates
• ✅ Keep templates for similar substrates together

PNG Designs:

• ✅ Must be PNG format (transparent background for engraved designs or solid background for printed designs)
• ✅ High resolution recommended (300 DPI or higher)
• ✅ Correct aspect ratio for best results (see Section 5: Resize Modes)

Output Folder:

• ✅ Create separate folders for different product types
• ✅ Ensure you have sufficient disk space (mockups are 2–5 MB each)

4.3 Step-by-Step: Your First Mockup Batch

Step 1: Launch the Plugin

• Open Adobe Photoshop
• Go to Window → Extensions → Bulk Made
• The plugin panel opens on the right side of your screen
• Log in with your Bulk Made account credentials

[Screenshot: Plugin panel after login, showing main interface]

Step 2: Select Your Folders

The plugin needs three pieces of information:

PSD Templates Folder:

• Click "Select PSD Folder"
• Navigate to your folder containing PSD templates
• Select the folder (not individual files)
• The plugin will process all PSD files in this folder

PNG Designs Folder:

• Click "Select PNG Folder"
• Navigate to your folder containing PNG designs
• Select the folder (not individual files)
• The plugin will process all PNG files in this folder

Output Folder:

• Click "Select Output Folder"
• Navigate to where you want mockups saved
• Select the folder
• Generated mockups will be saved here

💡 Pro Tip: Use descriptive folder names like "Wood-Engraving-Batch-1" to stay organized.

Once all three folders are selected, click "Continue to Processing Settings".

Step 3: Configure Processing Settings

The Processing Settings screen has five key options:

3a. Resize Mode

What it does: Controls how your PNG design fits into the smart object area.

Options:

• Fit – Scales design to fit entirely within bounds (maintains aspect ratio, may have empty space)
• Fill – Scales design to fill entire bounds (maintains aspect ratio, may crop edges)
• Stretch (ignore aspect ratio) – Stretches design to fill bounds exactly (may distort)
• No Resize – Places design at original size (may overflow or be too small)

Recommended: Stretch for most use cases (designs are created to match template dimensions)

💡 Note: Resize modes are covered in detail in Section 5: Resize Modes. For your first batch, choose Stretch.

3b. Processing Type

What it does: Determines what type of mockup processing is applied.

Options:

For Standard Plan subscribers:

• No Effects – Flat design placement without effects (only option available)

For Pro Plan subscribers:

• No Processing – Flat design placement without effects
• Engraving Effects – Realistic engraving depth, shadows, and burn marks
• Print Effects – Substrate-specific color adjustments and opacity

If you're on Standard Plan: Processing Type options will appear grayed out except "No Effects."

If you're on Pro Plan: Select the processing type that matches your production method.

💡 Pro Tip: Processing types are covered in detail in Section 7: Processing Types.

3c. Substrate Type (Pro Plan Only)

What it does: Selects the material substrate for realistic effects.

Appears when: You select "Engraving Effects" or "Print Effects" as your Processing Type.

Options (varies by Processing Type):

• Wood – For wood engraving or UV printing on wood
• Slate – For slate engraving
• Glass – For glass engraving
• White – For UV printing on white substrates
• Additional substrates (check plugin for full list)

If you selected "No Effects": This option is hidden.

3d. Effect Setting (Pro Plan Only)

What it does: Fine-tunes the intensity of engraving or print effects.

Appears when: You select a Substrate Type.

Options:

• Setting 1 – Deep burn, clean edges
• Setting 2 – Deep burn, better for darker substrates
• Setting 3 – Light engrave, clean edges
• Setting 4 – Deep burn, for very light wood, over burn on edges
• Setting 5 – Deep burn, slight over burn on edges
• Setting 6 – Lighter engrave with a slight overburn on edges

Why are they numbered? Every laser engraver and printer has different power settings, speeds, and output characteristics. Test multiple settings to find which best matches your actual equipment. We are constantly working on new settings to ensure every scenario is covered – that's why the settings don't just run 1-6 in order of light to dark!

💡 Pro Tip: Create a reference library by generating the same design with all six settings. Compare to your actual finished products and note which setting is most accurate.

3e. JPEG Quality

What it does: Controls the quality and file size of output mockups.

Options: Slider from 1 (lowest quality) to 12 (highest quality)

Recommended: 8 for most use cases (balances quality and file size)

Guidelines:

• 1–4: Low quality, small files (not recommended for professional use)
• 5–7: Medium quality, moderate files (suitable for web thumbnails)
• 8–10: High quality, larger files (recommended for product listings)
• 11–12: Maximum quality, very large files (use for print materials only)

Typical file sizes:

• Quality 8: 2–3 MB per mockup
• Quality 10: 3–5 MB per mockup
• Quality 12: 5–8 MB per mockup

💡 Pro Tip: Quality 8 is perfect for Etsy, Shopify, and most e-commerce platforms. Only use higher settings if you need print-ready files.

3f. Save Output Files

What it does: Lets you choose which file formats to export.

Options:

• ✅ Save JPG files (checked by default, recommended)
• ☐ Save PNG files (optional, larger file sizes)
• ☐ Save PSD files (layered) (only available if the "No Effects" processing type has been used)

Recommended: Leave only JPG checked for standard mockup generation.

When to use PNG: If you need transparent backgrounds (rare for mockups).

When to use PSD: If you need to make manual adjustments to individual mockups later (creates very large files).

Step 4: Process All Combinations

Once all settings are configured:

• Review your settings one final time
• Click the green "Process All Combinations" button at the bottom
• The plugin begins generating mockups

4.4 What Happens During Processing

Processing Speed

Each mockup takes 2–5 seconds to generate

Speed depends on:

• Template complexity (number of layers, effects)
• Design file size
• Processing Type (engraving/print effects take slightly longer)
• Your computer's performance

Example timing:

• 10 mockups = ~30 seconds
• 50 mockups = ~3 minutes
• 200 mockups = ~10–15 minutes

What You'll See

Behind the Plugin Panel:

• Photoshop will open each PSD template in the background
• You'll see designs being placed into smart objects
• Effects being applied (if using Pro processing)
• Files being saved

In Your Output Folder:

• JPG files will appear in real-time as they're generated
• You can open the output folder and watch mockups appear
• File names combine PNG name + PSD name + settings

💡 Pro Tip: Don't close Photoshop or the plugin panel during processing. Let it run in the background while you work on other tasks.

4.5 Understanding Output File Names

The plugin automatically names your mockups using a combination of:

• PNG design file name
• PSD template file name
• Processing settings (if applicable)

Example naming conventions:

Standard Plan (No Processing):

Logo1_WoodenCoaster.jpg Logo1_SlateSign.jpg

Pro Plan (With Processing):

Logo1_WoodenCoaster_WoodEngraving_Setting3.jpg Logo1_SlateSign_SlateEngraving_Setting2.jpg

💡 Pro Tip: Use clear, descriptive file names for your PNGs and PSDs. Avoid spaces and special characters. Use underscores or hyphens instead:

• ✅ Good: WoodenCoaster_Logo_v2.png
• ❌ Avoid: Wooden Coaster Logo (final version 2).png

4.6 After Processing Completes

What Happens When Finished

• Processing completes silently (no pop-up message)
• The plugin panel remains on the Processing Settings screen
• All mockups are saved in your output folder
• You can immediately start a new batch or close the plugin

Reviewing Your Mockups

• Navigate to your Output Folder
• Open mockups to review quality and accuracy
• Check that designs are positioned correctly
• Verify that processing effects match your expectations (Pro Plan)

What to Check

• ✅ Design placement – Is the design centered and sized correctly?
• ✅ Aspect ratio – Does the design look stretched or distorted?
• ✅ Processing effects – Do engraving/print effects look realistic? (Pro Plan)
• ✅ Image quality – Is the mockup sharp and clear?
• ✅ File names – Are mockups named correctly for easy identification?

4.7 Common First-Time Mistakes

Mistake 1: Mixing Different Substrates in One Batch

Problem: You select wood coasters, slate signs, and glass mugs in the same PSD folder, but all mockups use "Wood Engraving" settings.

Solution: Organize templates by substrate type. Process wood products separately from slate products, etc.

Mistake 2: Wrong Aspect Ratio Designs

Problem: Your design is square (1:1), but the template is rectangular (16:9). Using "Stretch" mode distorts the design.

Solution: Match design aspect ratios to template dimensions, or use "Fit" or "Fill" resize modes. See Section 5: Resize Modes for details.

Mistake 3: Too Many Combinations at Once

Problem: You select 50 templates and 100 designs, creating 5,000 mockups (takes hours and fills your hard drive).

Solution: Start small! Test with 2–3 templates and 5 designs first. Scale up once you're confident with settings.

Mistake 4: Forgetting to Test Effect Settings

Problem: You use "Wood Engraving Setting 1" for all mockups, but it's too light compared to your actual laser output.

Solution: Generate test mockups with multiple settings (1, 3, 5) and compare to real products. Build a reference library.

Mistake 5: Low JPEG Quality for Print

Problem: You use Quality 5 for mockups, but they look pixelated when printed on marketing materials.

Solution: Use Quality 8–10 for web listings, Quality 11–12 for print materials.

4.8 Your First Batch: Recommended Settings

If you're brand new to Bulk Made, we recommend these settings for your first test batch:

Folder Selection:

• PSD Folder: 2–3 templates (same substrate type)
• PNG Folder: 3–5 designs
• Output Folder: Create a new folder called "Test Batch 1"

Processing Settings:

• Resize Mode: Stretch (ignore aspect ratio)
• Processing Type: No Processing (Standard Plan) or Engraving Effects (Pro Plan)
• Substrate Type: Wood (if using Pro Plan)
• Effect Setting: Setting 3 (if using Pro Plan)
• JPEG Quality: 8
• Save Output Files: JPG only

Expected Results:

• 6–15 mockups (2–3 templates × 3–5 designs)
• Processing time: ~1–2 minutes
• Total file size: ~20–50 MB

4.9 Next Steps After Your First Batch

If Mockups Look Great:

• ✅ Scale up to larger batches
• ✅ Experiment with different resize modes
• ✅ Test multiple effect settings (Pro Plan)
• ✅ Organize templates into themed collections
• ✅ Start generating mockups for your product listings

If Something Looks Wrong:

• Design placement issues → See Section 5: Resize Modes
• Processing effects don't match production → See Section 7: Processing Types
• Plugin errors or technical issues → See Section 9: Troubleshooting Guide
• General questions → See Section 10: FAQ

4.10 Pro Tips for Efficient Batching

Tip 1: Organize by Substrate and Process

Create separate batches for:

• Wood engraving products
• Slate engraving products
• UV print on white products
• Sublimation products

This ensures consistent settings across similar products.

Tip 2: Use Descriptive Folder Names

Instead of generic names like "Batch 1," use:

• Wood-Engraving-Setting3-Batch-Jan2025
• Slate-Products-Christmas-Collection-Wood

This makes it easy to find mockups later.

Tip 3: Create a Settings Reference Document

Keep a simple text file or spreadsheet noting:

• Which Effect Setting matches your actual equipment for each substrate
• Which Resize Mode works best for each template
• JPEG Quality preferences for different uses

Example:

Wood Coaster Template: Setting 3, Stretch mode, Quality 8 Slate Sign Template: Setting 4, Fill mode, Quality 10

Tip 5: Test Before Large Batches

Before processing 500 mockups:

1. Test with 1 template + 3 designs
2. Review output quality
3. Adjust settings if needed
4. Then run the full batch

This saves time if settings need adjustment.

4.11 Workflow Example: Real-World Scenario

Scenario: You're a laser engraver creating mockups for 10 wooden coaster designs for a client.

Step 1: Organize Files

• PSD Folder: Templates/Wood-Coasters/ (contains 3 coaster templates)
• PNG Folder: Designs/Client-A/ (contains 10 client designs)
• Output Folder: Output/Client-A-Wood-Coasters/

Step 2: Configure Settings

• Resize Mode: Stretch
• Processing Type: Engraving Effects
• Substrate Type: Wood
• Effect Setting: Setting 3 (you've tested this matches your laser)
• JPEG Quality: 8
• Save Output: JPG only

Step 3: Process

• Click "Process All Combinations"
• 3 templates × 10 designs = 30 mockups
• Processing time: ~2 minutes

Step 4: Review

• Open output folder
• Review all 30 mockups
• Select best template for each design
• Upload to client's Etsy shop

Total time: ~15 minutes (including setup and review)

4.12 Troubleshooting Your First Batch

Problem: No mockups were generated

Possible causes:

• PSD templates don't contain smart objects
• PNG folder is empty or contains non-PNG files
• Output folder path is invalid

Solution: See Section 9: Troubleshooting Guide → "No Output Files Generated"

Problem: Designs are stretched or distorted

Possible cause: Resize mode doesn't match your design aspect ratio

Solution: See Section 5: Resize Modes to choose the correct mode

Problem: Processing is very slow

Possible causes:

• Very large PSD templates (many layers, high resolution)
• Very large PNG designs (10,000+ pixels)
• Computer performance limitations

Solution: See Section 9: Troubleshooting Guide → "Slow Processing Speed"

Problem: Plugin crashes or freezes

Possible cause: Insufficient memory or corrupted template files

Solution: See Section 9: Troubleshooting Guide → "Plugin Crashes During Processing"

4.13 Ready to Generate Mockups?

You now understand the complete workflow from folder selection to finished mockups!

Quick Recap:

1. ✅ Organize PSD templates, PNG designs, and output folder
2. ✅ Launch plugin and select folders
3. ✅ Configure processing settings (resize, processing type, quality)
4. ✅ Click "Process All Combinations"
5. ✅ Review mockups in output folder

Next sections to read:

• Section 5: Resize Modes – Master design fitting and aspect ratios
• Section 6: Processing Types – Understand realistic effects (Pro Plan)
• Section 7: Output Files – File naming, organization, and usage

Happy mockup creating! The Bulk Made Team