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I have a magnetic box PSD mockup file that has a couple of smart object layers - some change the color and some are editable layers I can place a design onto. I am trying to figure out how I can edit the smart object that changes the color to a design... It's a little hard to explain, sorry and please bear with me but here is a screenshot of what I am trying to achieve: enter image description here

https://snipboard.io/1nbqug.jpg

Here is the layers panel for the design that shows up:

enter image description here

https://snipboard.io/vDsWLT.jpg

Here is the layers panel for the entire backing piece (including the top) that's a fill layer:

enter image description here

https://snipboard.io/3lJori.jpg

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  • Hi Eva and welcome to GD.SE! We don't really do file sharing here because it could introduce security risks for users. Please edit screenshots within your question and include a view of the layers panel to describe the problem you are facing.
    – curious
    Commented Feb 2 at 4:27
  • Thank you so much and apologies for that. I edited my post with screenshots!
    – Eva S.
    Commented Feb 2 at 4:30
  • Hi. Usually in a mockup you would simply paste something into the smart object for that part of the object. But from the layers you are showing, there doesn't seem to be one. You could just add one yourself. Use the rectangle select to make a rectangle, and paste an image into it, convert the layer to a smart object, then distort transform it so that it fits the space.
    – Billy Kerr
    Commented Feb 2 at 4:46
  • @BillyKerr - thanks - do you know if there is a way to modify the existing file so that in the future I don't have to do it every time with a new image?
    – Eva S.
    Commented Feb 2 at 4:46
  • Well, once it's a Smart Object, you only have to go into it to add the image there. The distort transform applied to the Smart Object will automatically transform it.
    – Billy Kerr
    Commented Feb 2 at 4:48

1 Answer 1

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This is my simplified version of your box cover flap. But it has proper perspective like yours:

enter image description here

I took a screenshot of your question and tried to use it as custom artwork:

enter image description here

It was no problem in Photoshop to make a smart filter which incorporates that distortion to the artwork.

It's easy to change the image because the smart filter remembers exactly the used distortion. This is one of the fundamental ideas behind Photoshop mockups. The others are blending modes, layer masks, layer styles and adjustment layers.

Then I tried to make this - I guess it's the version you actually wanted:

enter image description here

I failed because Photoshop doesn't have any practical method to incorporate this complex distortion to a smart filter. This is not Photoshop's distortion to a single image. It's only a fake and 100% useless for Photoshop mockups. The real thing is impossible or out of my knowledge.

I tried also another idea: Insert 2 copies of the same artwork image to different layers and insert to them different distortions. Use layer masks to limit the area of one image layer to one planar surface. It nearly worked - except the seam was not continuous. I especially placed text (the title of the question) on the seam to find a way how it will become continuous. I didn't find it.

The 2 copies of the same artwork image in different smart filters -idea would work better if the photo of the box didn't have perspective (see NOTE). In that case skew-scale-rotate distortions would be enough. But it's practically impossible to make 2 different perspectives fit in the seam with Photoshop's distortion tools.

In some cases it's possible that the artwork image can look acceptable when only the edges are cropped by using a clipping mask, but no distortion is even tried. An example:

enter image description here

Blending mode multiply gives to the artwork the light variations of the box image. That's enough when the image has only small items and no straight lines which should be aligned with the edges of the box. Blending mode overlay could also be used, but then the box below should have average 50% grey brightness. The brightness defining layer can as well be above the artwork if the blending mode is multiply or hard light or it's an adjustment layer.

If I see it right, your mockup already contains layers which give the geometrically right light variations to the artwork, so no problem here.

Conclusion: There's no hope to expand successfully the smart filter as you wanted except in cases where the image can have wrong or totally missing distortion or you accept discontinuous seam.

NOTE: A no-perspective photo can be shot by using a long focal length telephoto lens and by shooting from far away from the target. 3D models also can be rendered with no perspective. One should ask an ortographic projection to get it. Trimetric, bimetric and isometric projections are common ortographic projection presets.

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