The power of the mockup
For any designer, a selection of sleek, professional mockups can elevate a project from ‘good’ to ‘great’. In their simplest function, they represent designs in their intended output (think billboards, packaging, or websites). And in doing so, they communicate the idea and final product to clients whilst also serving as a handy and professional way to present work in portfolios.
When looking for your next mock-up template, among all the services and options, why should you consider Bendito Mockup? First and foremost, their exquisite focus (pardon the pun) on artistic and experimental photography. The studio from Southern Spain – comprising of Andrea Kaiser Moro, Álvaro Rodríguez Sáez, and his brother Alberto Rodríguez – bridges the gap between art and design through their photography’s highly considered art direction.
This unconventional and artistic approach to mock-ups arose from the trio’s own needs as creatives for mockups that fell outside the norm. “As graphic designers ourselves, we realised that there were some spaces left to fill in terms of mockup creation”, Álvaro tells us. “Above all, we identified an absence of art directions with an expressive and artistic component, moving away from the prevailing neutrality of the market.”
Once more with feeling
Bendito’s high-quality images, showcasing designs in real-life scenarios, arrive as PSD files (4K resolution at 300dpi) and offer one thing more than the typical mockup. They communicate a feeling. “A mockup is usually considered as technical material. But if you think about it, a mockup is an extremely persuasive communication tool,” Alberto explains. “In addition to offering a functional product,” he continues, “we want to help designers to be more persuasive, appealing to that emotional part that plays a fundamental role in convincing a client of something.”
The mock-ups aim to elevate the character of your design work and fit the aesthetics and themes required. For example, a brand’s visual identity and personality can be reinforced further with a template that truly sets the scene.
Drawing from their experience as graphic designers, the trio’s primary goal was to provide something more powerfully expressive than the rest of the mockup market. To achieve this, they collaborate with artists and photographers such as Toni Kuraga and Cris Gómez. The unique perspectives allow Bendito to experiment with an evocative use of lighting and location, giving users plenty of visual directions and moods to choose from. The bright flash photography of Futura Basura versus the warm glow of golden hour of The Basics, for instance. The wistful isolation of Badlands’ desert landscapes is counteracted by the concrete and metallic surfaces of K1NK1’s urbanism.
Their latest collection, Modern Standards, takes inspiration from the dramatism of film noir aesthetics; establishing dramatic interplays between lights and shadows. “After all the experimentation we had with mockup collections like K1NK1, Badlands, or Futura Basura,” Alberto notes, “we wanted to address something we hadn’t touched on before: elegance at its finest.” For this collection, they sought the talents of Madrid-based photographer Victoria Gee whose universe revolves around a dramatic and chiaroscuro-like use of light. “We loved the idea of incorporating a cinematic atmosphere to the world of mockups”, he adds. With quiet and luxurious interiors darkened by shadows, the 40 mockups offer a selection of sophistication fit for any high-end hospitality brand.
Counteracting The Neutrality
“We understand why mockups normally have a neutral aesthetic since they are required to adapt to a wide variety of possible designs. Most of the time, the challenge is usually solved by forgoing any ornamentation or expressiveness in the images”, says Andrea. “For us, the solution is to expand the range of possible art directions for mockups. It is very limiting to expect a collection of mockups to solve all of a designer’s needs: if you have several expressive collections, your toolbox as a designer is enriched. It’s like typography, who can imagine working on their projects with only one typeface family?”
“We believe that all these points are connected to a deeper issue, which is the fact that design is mostly conceived from a functionalist perspective, which makes it very clear that design is «not art». We try to challenge the idea that design should not be concerned with being beautiful or expressive, defending that beauty can actually help designers to persuade a customer or a client”, Andrea adds.
The concept of ‘beauty’ (and what it means) was an area of deep focus for Bendito. When defining the overall vision for the mockup company, Stefan Sagmeister and Jessica Walsh’s book ‘Beauty’ played an impactful role for the trio. “It was a book that transformed our understanding of design: both in our studio and in our job as mockup creators”, Álvaro recalls. “As Sagmeister and Walsh assert, ‘beauty is also function’, which means that the demand for beauty must be positioned at the same level as the demand for function. We deeply believe in that.”
Cost and Time
These beliefs are apparent across all of Bendito’s collections. In addition to the undeniable beauty and easy-to-use function of their mockups, they are excellent for designers looking to save time and money. After all, Alberto points out, “not all freelancers or small studios can afford to hire a photographer to shoot their designs once they are produced.” In other cases, a finished design may not even make it to the production stage. “In that sense, our goal is to make mockups realised under the art direction of the highest level accessible to any designer.”
For design work in progress, the images give designers the opportunity to test out different iterations; fix flaws before a design goes into print; and avoid the expensive process for reprints. With the majority of design portfolios taking a digital form, it makes sense that mockups are high quality and visually striking. By working with talented photographers, Bendito does the hard work for you and ensures that their collections are a surefire investment for your projects.
Regarding the rest of 2023, BM’s founders assure us that more beautiful and expressive collections will be released throughout the year – so we have plenty to look forward to!
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