How do you design a new face from scratch using the Clockology app?
This is where the fun starts. You can start with a clean slate or download one of many faces via the app itself.
Let me show you how to get started with a new one (this will help you to get to know how to navigate and get a basic understanding of the app).
Open the app on your iPhone. Look 👀 at the bottom for these 4 icons. Select the icon with the pencil 🖍️
It will take you to a new window. At the top click on the plus➕(top right)
You will now be presented with a blank canvas to get started.
The first thing to do is name you new watch face by tapping on "Untitled" and picking your desired name.
Saving your face
The top left button allows you to save the face. I'll get into the others later on in this guide. I would do that now so you don't need to go through this initial setup again. You will be presented with 3 saving options.
- (Top) save an image of the face
- (Middle) save an image and the face file
- (Bottom) save the .clock2 face file
I would suggest that you save just the file (the bottom option). From my experience, this is the best option to start with.
Lets get your creative juices flowing
Now you have a blank watch face setup and saved, from my personal experience, to make sense from your design, it's important to setup a few folders (named "Groups") first, to give the design some level of organisation.
(You will thank me for this tip as I learned the hard way, designing my faces and trying to figure out what each component/layer is, does etc when working on a given face again).
This will be a real time saver for you going forward and a good practice habit to implement this in your designs).
Setting up a basic template
Click on the "Group" button and add some organisational folders. Lets start with:
- Hands
- Date
- Background
Naming your folders is essential. To do this, click on the name and name what you will be putting them in there. Lets setup the thee mentioned.
By clicking on the pencil 🖍️ icon opens up the ability to rename them.
Make the names obvious to you.
Video Recap
A small trick to speed things up is to pull your first folder from right to left and you can make a duplicate. (See video). In the recap, I also coloured each folder making it visually easier to work with.
Always remember to save your face as you go. You wont regret it 😉
Understanding your canvas
Getting to know what you are working with with help you pre plan your design. Next I will explain in detail things you need to keep in mind to get the best from your designs.
Screen size
Understanding the screen size will help you design your faces and your layers and components to bet fit your face.
- Height: 242
- Width: 200
This may be confusing to some but in reality it makes sense. Having its own internal system is probably down to the fact there are several different Apple Watch face sizes. The app has been designed so all watch owners (version & size) can design a face that resizes to fit the dimensions of the owners watch.
Blank background template
I have designed a blank template for you to work from. Feel free to download it to help you get started.
Useful Apps I use
All my watch faces are designed by just using my iPhone. These are my go to apps for making my designs.