Turn a still image into a scroll-stopping visual hook

Build a surreal mockup in Firefly, blend it in Photoshop, then add subtle motion for social.

Published August 3, 2026

00:01

Introduction and meet Cyn Lagos

[Cyn Lagos, a woman with curly dark hair in a light blue shirt, speaks from a modern studio with wood paneling and an orange lamp.]

[Cyn Lagos]: Today, I'll walk you through a Firefly and Photoshop workflow that helps your finished artwork create a stronger first impression - whether you're just posting it, pitching it, or adding it to your portfolio.

This workflow helps you present your work in a way that feels more polished, more intentional for a scroll-stopping moment.

Hi, I'm Cyn Lagos, an artist and today your visual mentor.

[The Adobe Firefly homepage appears with feature cards for Explore the new generation and editing experience, Generate image, Generate video, Expand image, and Generative fill.]

First, let's build a surreal mockup in Firefly.

00:23

Build a surreal mockup in Firefly

On screen I'm going to open Firefly and choose Generate image.

For this first round, I'm going to click the Model menu and choose Firefly Image 4.

I like to start here because I'm not looking for the final image yet; I'm looking for options.

On the left panel, I'll upload the mockup image provided with this tutorial as both the Style Reference and the Composition Reference.

[Cyn opens the Composition Reference gallery and selects a reference image of a glowing picture frame in a desert landscape.]

The Composition Reference helps Firefly understand the placement, keeping the frame centered as the main subject, while the Style Reference carries over the atmosphere, the color, and the mood.

For the prompt I'm describing three things: what the mockup is, where it appears, and the surreal detail that brings the scene to life.

The prompt could look like this.

Now I'll click Generate.

A pro tip is to keep using the word mockup in the prompt, [Four AI-generated images appear, each showing a glowing frame in a desert at sunset.] because we want Firefly to leave a blank space for the artwork.

Remember, we're not asking it to finish the whole piece; we're asking it to build the stage.

If I want more ideas, I can just click Generate again.

[Four additional image variations appear in the grid.]

Once the results load, I'm going to look for the version with the clearest blank frame and the strongest mood.

Now I can go back to the Model menu and try the same concept in Firefly Image 5, Firefly Image 4 Ultra, or even a partner model to see how the same idea translates.

For this one, I'll pick Firefly Image 5.

Once I find one I like, I open the Edit options dropdown menu and I choose Use as reference image.

That way the next round keeps the same visual direction while I refine the quality.

Now I'll update the prompt with one clear improvement, like "Make the light more dramatic and cinematic."

Then I'll click Generate again.

So first we explore the direction, [A new image variation of the glowing portal-style frame appears.] then we refine the quality.

Once I have the mockup I like, I'm going to download it from Firefly.

[Cyn enlarges a glowing portal-like frame in a desert landscape.]

For me this is the one.

I found my mockup.

Now we're ready to blend our finished artwork [The image of a white building appears inside the glowing frame.] and our surreal mockup together in Photoshop desktop.

[The scene switches to Adobe Photoshop.]

First, I'll open our mockup file in Photoshop to place the artwork.

02:29

Blend your artwork into the scene in Photoshop

With our mockup open, I'll go to file, choose Place Embedded..., and select my artwork file.

Then I'll use Transform to scale and position it inside the blank area.

Now I'll scale it down and drag it into the blank frame.

If a frame or surface has an angle, I can quickly adjust it with the Transform features to match the perspective on the artwork.

From there, I'll add a Multiply blend mode to help the artwork feel like it was always meant to be there.

If the artwork feels too dark, [Cyn lowers the opacity and then puts it back to 100 percent.]

I can lower the Opacity until it blends more naturally.

Firefly built the scene [The final composite shows the building photo naturally placed inside the glowing frame.] and Photoshop makes the artwork belong there.

We could stop here and use this as its still image for a portfolio cover, or take it one step further by turning it into a surreal animation [The image animates, slowly pushing in toward the viewer.] in Generate video in Firefly.

Now I need to save this final mockup so I can bring it back into Firefly.

I'll go to File, Quick Export as PNG, and save it into my project folder.

03:33

Add motion and turn it into a visual hook in Firefly

Finally, let's click Generate video from image.

[The scene switches to Adobe Firefly.]

Once inside, I'll upload the blank mockup we downloaded earlier from Firefly as the first frame, and the final mockup PNG with the artwork included, which we just saved to our computer folder as the second frame.

This will guide the video to create the effect of the artwork appearing in the scene.

To do this, I'll describe a simple motion.

I'll write: "Slow cinematic camera push-in," keeping the prompt simple and making sure to include that the main artwork appears in the scene.

Then I'll select the model I want to use.

[Cyn changes the model to Veo 3.1] This time I'll go with a partner model.

Next, I'll select the highest Resolution, [Cyn sets the resolution to 1080p and aspect ratio to Vertical 9:16.] followed by the vertical Aspect ratio for social media.

And now I can click Generate.

[The generated video plays.

Sand swirls up and dissolves into color inside the frame, revealing the building artwork.]

The goal is to make just enough motion to make someone pause.

Try it a few times to choose a version that feels the closest to the mood, and then click the Download button to export it as a platform-ready video hook.

[Side-by-side vertical videos show sand and colorful dust swirling inside three floating frames to reveal the final composite.]

So now we're not just posting the artwork; we're presenting it in a world of its own.

[The scene returns to Cyn Lagos in the studio, smiling as she concludes.]

Your work has a stage, a mood, and a little drama in the best of ways.

Try this workflow with one of your finished artworks in Adobe Firefly and Photoshop, and give your artwork that first impression that can actually stop the scroll.

What you’ll learn

Build a surreal mockup in Firefly

Generate a mockup with Firefly's Generate Image tool, guided by a reference image of your finished artwork. Try different models and prompts to explore mood and direction before refining the details.

Bonus tip: Keep the word “mockup” in your Firefly prompt so it leaves a blank space for your artwork instead of finishing the whole scene.

Blend your artwork into the scene in Photoshop

Place your artwork into the mockup's blank frame, then use transform to match its scale and perspective. A multiply blend mode helps the artwork feel like it belongs in the scene.

Add motion and turn it into a visual hook in Firefly

Bring the finished mockup back into Firefly to generate video with one simple motion, like a slow camera push-in or a subtle glow. Export a vertical, platform-ready clip for social media.

Instruction and design by: Cyn Lagos

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Cookies are small text files stored by your web browser when you use websites. There are also other technologies that can be used for similar purposes like HTML5 Local Storage, web beacons, and embedded scripts. These technologies help us do things like remembering you and your preferences when you return to our sites, measure how you use the website, conduct market research, and gather information about the ads you see and interact with.

If enabled:

We can improve your experience by tailoring the site and the content to things we think might be of interest
We can better keep track of your preferences — like what language you prefer to use
We will better understand your likely interests so we can provide you more relevant Adobe ads and content on non-Adobe websites and in non-Adobe apps
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What you’ll learn