Tips on Designing for Clocks

Our new clocks are ticking along nicely and we are already seeing some exciting designs created for this new product. As we did with our post ‘5 Tips on Getting More Exposure‘, we thought it would be a great idea to share some tips to help your clocks stand out among the crowd. While they are customizable in your shop page, there are some extra things you can do while creating your designs that give you the ability to make them more uniquely yours.

Add Numbers or Chapter Rings

Using our custom template, adding numbers or chapter rings is easy. The PSD file contains a variety of default chapter rings as well as Arabic and Roman numerals. There are also two folders that allow you to change the font without moving their location.

While your design might look great without these additions, adding them not only helps your work stand-out but also makes them more suited for kids and those that prefer numbers or markers. As the template shows the position of each number, you can easily add some extra graphical elements that add to the overall design, or even become a major element such as with “Time for Tea” seen above. Also take a look at the three examples below by Freeminds, Katie Crumpton, and pepetto for inspiration.

Pro-tip: If you are going to add chapter rings or numbers, make sure to tag your clocks “numbered”, “chapter rings”, and even “kids” and “childrens”. 

Optimize Your Designs

It’s always a good idea to adjust your designs to make sure they look good on every product you have enabled; this is especially important with clocks. As the clock hands provide a center point for the design, you want to make sure your design is centered and at an angle that fits well within the circular frame.

When uploading your design it’s best to upload a separate file for clocks at the specified dimensions, 2940 x 2940 pixels. This will ensure your image is centered as expected. If you are using a pattern, see how the pattern falls within the circular frame and always check to make sure your image is not cropped in a way that detracts from your design.

For illustrations that are not tiled or confined within a square or rectangular format, check to make sure the design fits within the frame and has a good amount of space around it. This way your background color will add to the overall design, and it will not looked cramped within the clock frame. A great example is the design by dandingeroz seen below.

Adjust your clock designs and show us in the comments below.