Inserting an image into a PSD book mockup / Affinity Publisher V2

[mdesigns]

I have an Adobe PSD template of the inside of a book mockup. 

I am trying to place an image into the page, but I can't get it to fill that page. When I place an image, and drag and rotate it around, it won't position properly or words/illustrations get cut off. 

The PSD instructions for Photoshop says: 

Select Smart Object > Layer > Smark Objects > Edit Contents
And basically you place the image in it, and it takes the shape of the page.

How do I do it in Affinity Publisher 2?

[firstdefence]

Where it says put your design here, Double Click on that layers icon.

Like this.

[mdesigns]

Yes, that's exactly what I did, and it wouldn't open that object in a new window for me to place the image. When I double-click, it just zooms in extremely closely  See attached. 

So, what I am doing is:

1. Double-click the page icon (like you did)

2. On the enlarged/zoomed page, I PLACE the image (drop and drag)

3. The image is within the page, but since the image is a strict square and the mockup page is curved, I cannot get it to fit. So, as I drag it around to find by pulling the edges, things get cut off. See 2nd image attached. Is there a way, I can get the image to just to "fill" up?

 

[Old Bruce]

Do you have the Import PSD smart objects where possible checked?  It is in the preferences under General.

[walt.farrell]

I'm not sure Publisher can do what you want. Photo can, if you have its General Settings set to treat PSD smart objects as embedded documents, but I think that setting is unique to Photo.

Edit: I was wrong about the setting existing only in Photo; it is also in Designer (but not Publisher).

[mdesigns]

4 hours ago, Old Bruce said:

Do you have the Import PSD smart objects where possible checked?  It is in the preferences under General.

Yes, I do have that checked.

[mdesigns]

If you would like to play around with the template and see if it's working for you, you can download a free version here: https://www.mockupcloud.com/scene/square-brochure-spread-mockup-scene-01

[mdesigns]

4 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

I'm not sure Publisher can do what you want. Photo can, if you have its General Settings set to treat PSD smart objects as embedded documents, but I think that setting is unique to Photo.

That's what I thought too, and attempted the same on Designer. It didn't work there as well.

I don't have Photo.

I managed to get the output I wanted by using the mockup vendor's online editor.

[AndyWh]

I think you can acheive the desired result using either Designer alone, or a combination of Publisher and Designer, switching to the Designer persona within publisher to access the Layer Warp group.

The process is described in this Youtube video from Affinity. The technique to add an image to a turning page starts at 3:37, but the first section may be a useful background. The video also shows how the placed image can be replaced by a new image but using the distortion filter developed for the first image.

 

[mdesigns]

On 3/17/2024 at 9:17 PM, AndyWh said:

I think you can acheive the desired result using either Designer alone, or a combination of Publisher and Designer, switching to the Designer persona within publisher to access the Layer Warp group.

The process is described in this Youtube video from Affinity. The technique to add an image to a turning page starts at 3:37, but the first section may be a useful background. The video also shows how the placed image can be replaced by a new image but using the distortion filter developed for the first image.

 

Hi Andy, I think this is a great tutorial! Thanks for sharing. This might be it for me. But currently I have the Designer V1 sitting outside Publisher V2. So, I suppose I will need to upgrade and connect the personas first.

[R C-R]

5 hours ago, mdesigns said:

But currently I have the Designer V1 sitting outside Publisher V2. So, I suppose I will need to upgrade and connect the personas first.

You won't need to "connect" to Publisher V2 to do this in the Pixel persona of Affinity Designer but you will need to at least upgrade to Affinity Designer V2 to use the Live Perspective Filter because this feature is in V2 but not V1 of AD. Otherwise, if you have Affinity Photo (V1 or V2) you could open the file in that because it includes the filter.

[AndyWh]

If you wish to check if the workflow is good for you before purchasing Designer 2, remember Affinity have a 7-day free trial available.

As I write this note Affinity are running a Spring Sale with 30% discount, so this may be good time to upgrade. Not sure what date the sale finishes.