David Airey

LiveSurface Context

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David Airey
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LiveSurface Context is an Adobe Illustrator plugin by Brooklyn-based Josh Distler that renders your flat artwork onto a wide range of contextual photos.

I had a go with the free trial. Excellent. And at $9 per month (or $89 for a year) it’s a fair bit cheaper than a stock photography subscription. You can cancel at any time if it’s for a one-off project or occasional use.

LiveSurface Context

All the available contexts are here.

LiveSurface Context

Try it for free (Mac only), or read a few words from Creative Review’s Mark Sinclair.

Top work, Josh.

Free LiveSurface codes

Josh gave me seven codes so you can get the high-res, non-watermarked mockups for free. I’ve got five 1-month codes and two 1-year codes. To enter, share a recent identity project that stood out from another designer or studio (just to add some interest to the comment thread). I’ll randomly draw names next Wednesday (6th November) and email the codes.

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Update:
The magnificent seven are Nick Wilmot, Laura Miller, Anthony Schmiedeler, Richard Knobbs, Jess, Steve Perry, and Richard Baird. Codes on their way.

More design mockup resources.

Comments

28 responses to “LiveSurface Context”

  1. Atakan Seckin Avatar
    Atakan Seckin

    I’ve been using it since they first launched, incredibly useful.

    Reply
  2. Richard Baird Avatar
    Richard Baird

    Interesting bit of kit, will definitely look at using it for client presentations. Little concerned that designers may be tempted to render out conceptual work with a photorealistic finish and pass it off as a live project. Difficult to compete with.

    Reply
  3. David Airey Avatar
    David Airey

    Hi Atakan, Richard, I updated the post with a code giveaway in case you’re interested. Cheers for dropping in.

    Reply
  4. Richard Baird Avatar
    Richard Baird

    Thanks David, I’d gladly enter, not sure I really get this ‘link to your favourite identity’ business though.

    Reply
  5. Atakan Seckin Avatar
    Atakan Seckin

    I already have a one-year pass, but I’ll let a couple of friends know about it. Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Nick Wilmot Avatar
    Nick Wilmot

    This looks great (and a little lazy, sorry, time saving!).

    Really love the Wedge & Fig ID you featured a while back David: http://identitydesigned.com/wedge-and-fig/ – consider that my entry to your comp!

    Nick

    Reply
  7. Sherrie Avatar
    Sherrie

    I really do believe that taking the extra time to put a design concept in context is well worth it. It aids highly in selling your concept to the clients when they see it in context. Glad to hear about this add on for Illustrator! Are the giveaways only compatible with Mac as well, or will they work with PC?

    Reply
  8. Paul Price Avatar
    Paul Price

    Already tested this in work (large digital agency) and very pleased with the results. Our collective favourite rebrand has been ITV.

    http://www.ruddstudio.com/project/itv-rebrand/

    Reply
  9. Laura Miller Avatar
    Laura Miller

    This looks like it would be a great tool especially for packaging design. Here is some design work from one of my latest favorite designers: http://www.behance.net/gallery/J-Hornig-Branding-Packaging/11475995.

    Reply
  10. Anthony Schmiedeler Avatar
    Anthony Schmiedeler

    Love this context thing, though I feel like it’s only useful for quick mockups…

    …but I’d definitely love to use that code!

    Here’s a Dickies brand book that caught my eye a little while back. I think it’s creative and fun and fits the brand perfectly.
    http://www.behance.net/gallery/Dickies-Brand-Book/9416887

    Reply
  11. David Airey Avatar
    David Airey

    First thing that came to mind, Richard. There’ll be better ideas but I thought it might offer up something new.

    Nick, one of my favourites, too. The handcrafted approach works brilliantly.

    I like that, Laura, and other work coming from Moodley.

    Sherrie, it’s only available for Mac, unfortunately. I’m not sure if Josh will release a PC version.

    I can only imagine the committee in the ITV project, Paul. Fair play to Rudd and everyone involved.

    Anthony, that’s the idea — useful for quick mockups. It leaves more time for the earlier idea generation. Nice choice with Dickies. It’s good to see a company’s history remembered like that.

    Reply
  12. Richard Knobbs Avatar
    Richard Knobbs

    That looks great. Thanks for sharing, David.

    As for the identity, I like what Snohetta did for Avinor: http://snohetta.com/project/68-avinor

    Very minimal, but lovely. And I love the idea of sharing nice identities!

    Reply
  13. Steve Perry Avatar
    Steve Perry

    This looks like a really powerful plugin, certainly of use.

    Here’s my entry, the Autentika Corporate Identity;
    http://www.behance.net/gallery/Autentika-Corporate-Identity/298551

    Reply
  14. Richard Baird Avatar
    Richard Baird

    Hi David, I kind of meant in general, what’s the goal of having people link out? Is it a blogging convention that I’m missing?

    Reply
  15. David Airey Avatar
    David Airey

    Very nice, Richard. Flexible, appropriate, understated.

    The Klavika customisations are an improvement there, Steve, for the brand name at least. Good share. I’m not keen on that Edison quote, though, “To invent you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” It associates Autentika with junk.

    No convention, Rich, just an idea to share the work of others.

    Reply
  16. Richard Baird Avatar
    Richard Baird

    And perhaps to foster engagement, not sure why I didn’t realise earlier.

    The Company You Keep have a bunch of new ID projects up on their website, really well shot stuff as well – http://www.tcyk.com.au

    Reply
  17. jess Avatar
    jess

    Appreciate this! It looks awesome the ease of use on the program is great and really cuts down time of mocking it all up. I’ve always loved Chase Design Group’s work (their work on branding buffy the vampire slayer… BIG fan) But here’s one of their more recent works that I love: http://www.chasedesigngroup.com/work/califia-farms

    Reply
  18. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    Good find, this looks really interesting and useful.

    Reply
  19. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    This would be very useful! David, check this link out: http://connect.macewan.ca/our-new-brand-look This is the rebrand of Grant Macewan University located in Edmonton Alberta Canada. Very cool how they came up with the idea.

    Reply
  20. Rob Gill Avatar
    Rob Gill

    I saw this brand identity recently and really liked the colourful variations for lots of different icons:
    http://www.thefoxisblack.com/2013/04/04/raw-color-brand-identity-keukenconfessies/

    It was featured in a book, “Introducing: Visual Identities for Small Businesses.” A lot of the projects in there could have done with LiveSurface Context to visualise their designs!

    Reply
  21. Cam Avatar
    Cam

    Looks very handy!
    Liking this a lot: http://www.ryanromanes.co.nz/projects.php?id=23

    Reply
  22. Steve Perry Avatar
    Steve Perry

    Very good point there, David!

    Reply
  23. Afan Ghafor Avatar
    Afan Ghafor

    Thank you for the review, David. The app looks very useful and timesaving.

    A redesign of a brand I liked is from Neue in Norwegen for the tourism identity.

    http://www.neue.no/index.asp?id=27415

    It’s flexible for different purposes.

    Reply
  24. Jackie Avatar
    Jackie

    This is brilliant. It’ll absolutely save time and help present the concept to clients much more effectively. Thanks David!

    Reply
  25. David Airey Avatar
    David Airey

    I just had a look round their website, Richard. Yep, lovely work.

    Thanks everyone. I’ll draw those names shortly and update the post.

    Reply
  26. Gabe Avatar
    Gabe

    Looks like a really useful tool. Are there multiple options for each type of mockup? We do billboard mockups a lot. Always looking for some quicker and newer options.

    Reply
  27. Rachel Avatar
    Rachel

    Wow, this is a really great tool! I guess I won’t be needing to open the 3D software as much anymore. I love how these tools are becoming more relevant to our needs.

    Reply
  28. Steve Perry Avatar
    Steve Perry

    I’ve had a play with this and I’ll have to say that I’m impressed, it’s very useful and very powerful. A great tool for designers.

    Reply

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