How a designer’s frustration shaped Transparent Source’s mockups

Transparent Source began with a frustration. Max, a designer with a branding background, kept reaching for mockups in his own work and never found what he wanted. So he built it. Today, the Ukrainian studio is a trio. Max leads art direction, while Bohdana and Stas handle the 3D, bringing a sensibility shaped by years in interior design. Their references lean heavily on fashion still life photography, and the work is colour-graded in Capture One like it’s real photography. In this chat, Max discusses how their ecosystem thinking borrows from Lego, and what it takes for a mockup to add value to the work it carries. TBI: Hi Max! How are things with the team? M: Hi Elliott, things are great, thanks. We’re deep in a major update to our platform right now.