Book Mockup Templates

Every author, self-publisher, and book cover designer eventually needs a mockup. The flat cover file looks professional in a design tool, but it doesn't communicate the physical object - the spine thickness, the way light catches the embossed title, the page edges visible from an angle. A book mockup bridges that gap between digital file and tangible product.

Formats on offer include hardcover books (dust jacket and case-bound), paperback/softcover books, spiral-bound notebooks, board books (for children), and open-book spread views. Sizes range from pocket-format mass-market paperbacks to large coffee table books. Presentation styles cover standing upright, stacked, lying flat, open to a spread, and lifestyle scenes on shelves, desks, and reading nooks.

Hardcover mockups carry the most detail. A good hardcover template shows the dust jacket wrapping around the boards with proper fold-over at the flap edges. Case-bound versions show printed or cloth covers with debossed or foil-stamped titles. The spine is a separate smart object - an important detail because spine design is its own discipline in book publishing. Seeing how the title and author name fit on the spine at actual width is something cover designers check obsessively.

Paperback mockups focus on the cover curl, page thickness, and spine creasing that softcover books naturally exhibit. These are rendered realistically - a thin poetry collection looks different from a 500-page thriller, and the page block thickness communicates the book's heft visually.

Open-book mockups are essential for certain use cases:

• Interior designers showing layout, typography, and illustration quality
• Cookbook authors presenting recipe spreads with photos
• Children's book illustrators showing double-page spreads
• Portfolio pieces demonstrating editorial design skills

For self-published authors running Amazon KDP or IngramSpark campaigns, the mockup images are used directly in book listing pages, social media promotion, and author website galleries. Cover text, spine lettering, and interior page content stay sharp even in reduced-size thumbnails.

The audience spans book cover designers, self-published authors, publishers marketing new releases, editorial designers building portfolios, and bookstagrammers creating content. A well-executed book mockup on an author's website or Goodreads profile page carries more credibility than a flat cover image - it signals that the book is a real, finished product available for purchase.

Lifestyle scene mockups - a book on a coffee table with reading glasses and a cup of tea - work particularly well for social media promotion and Amazon A+ content where atmosphere drives engagement.

What book formats are available?

Hardcover with dust jacket, case-bound hardcover, paperback/softcover, spiral-bound, and board books. Sizes range from pocket paperbacks to large coffee table books. Open-book spread views are also included for interior design showcase.

Can I edit the spine separately from the cover?

The spine has its own smart object layer, separate from front and back covers. This is essential for checking how title and author text fit on the spine at actual width, which varies with page count.

Are open-book interior mockups included?

Open spread views show left and right interior pages with separate smart objects. They're used for showcasing typography, illustrations, recipe spreads, and editorial design layouts.

Are lifestyle scene mockups available?

Books are shown on shelves, desks, coffee tables, and reading nooks with props like reading glasses, coffee cups, and plants. These atmospheric shots work well for social media promotion and online bookstore enhanced content.