Download the PiDials PSD file, open it in Photoshop or the free online editor Photopea, place your artwork inside the safe area, then upload your finished design back into the customizer.
The template is simply a starting file. Use it to line things up, try ideas, and export one clean image when you are done. Choose the path below that matches what you have.
Best if you do not have Photoshop installed. Photopea runs in your web browser and can open PSD files.
Best if you already have Adobe Photoshop on your computer and want the most familiar editing experience.
Follow these steps in order. You can keep the design simple. Clear, centered, and readable usually works better on a watch dial than something crowded.
Open the PSD in Photoshop or Photopea. If a warning appears about fonts or layers, continue opening the file. The guides are what matter.
Keep important artwork inside the main round dial area. Avoid placing important details too close to the outside edge or the center hole.
Place your logo, image, symbols, initials, pattern, or text. Put new artwork on a new layer so it is easy to move or resize.
The watch hands sit in the middle. Do not cover the center hole with text or tiny details that need to stay perfectly visible.
Zoom out until the dial looks about the size of a real watch. If the design is still easy to understand, you are on the right track.
Export your finished design as a PNG. Then return to the PiDials customizer and upload it in the design upload area.
This area is ready for a short tutorial showing the exact process: download the PSD, open it in Photopea, add artwork, export the PNG, and upload it to the customizer.
Until the video is ready, the written steps on this page are meant to be enough for a first-time user to complete a simple dial design without knowing Photoshop terms.
A watch dial is small. The strongest designs usually have one clear idea, enough empty space, and artwork that can be understood at a glance.
Pick one focus: a logo, a symbol, a pattern, a name, or a short phrase. Too many ideas can become hard to read.
Do not push important details to the edge. A little empty space makes the finished dial feel more intentional.
Light against dark, dark against light, and simple shapes will read better than faint colors or tiny textures.
If text matters, make it short and large enough to read when the dial is shown at watch size.
The PSD file is for editing. The file you upload back to PiDials should usually be a PNG with your finished artwork.
No. Photoshop works well, but Photopea is a free online editor that can open this PSD file in your browser.
That is fine. Place it in the template, resize it until it fits, then export a PNG and upload it to the customizer.
Yes. Use the Design Help tab to send your idea, notes, sketches, or reference images. We can help turn it into a cleaner mockup.
Upload the finished design as a PNG or SVG. Keep the PSD for editing in case you want to change something later.
The goal is not to master design software. The goal is to get your idea onto a watch dial clearly enough that it can become a real PiDials commission.