UX/UI
mobile
B2C
e-commerce
social network
stilllife
team
1 founder
3 UX Designer
2 UX Researchers
role
UX designer
UI designer
UX Researcher
Prototyping
tools
figma
adobe illustrator
Cinema 4D
After Effects
timeline
Aug 2022 - Dec 2022
revision process in 2024
overview
about stilllife
Next Generation Art Community
product position
Stilllife intertwines offline art hub with exclusive online experience
target users
Who comprises Stilllife's user group?
PROBLEM STATEMENT
the outcome
final Design
For artist
Onboarding as artist
Guaranteeing the authenticity and integrity of the artist's identity.
Ensuring identity verification
Artist exclusive features access
For artist
Artist can easily post their artworks to the marketplace
Empowering artists by providing marketplace for selling artworks easily.
Easy to post artworks
Increase selling rate
Direct chat with artist
For artist
Easy apply to offline events
Offering additional opportunities for artists to increase exposure for their artworks as vendors and cultivate personal relationships with consumers through in person interactions.
Giving extra exposure
Engaging online to offline
Activity transparency
Dynamic event types and access
Close connection with consumers & artists
For art consumer
Onboarding as art consumer
Becoming part of Stillife community to explore with amazing arts.
Easy to follow
Clear user identity
Visual interaction to enhance engagement
For art consumer
Event explore & booking
Easy booking
Follow artist's activity
Details on event information
Dynamic event types and access
Allow close connection with artists
For all users
Shop for artworks
All users are welcome to browse and purchase their favorite artworks across diverse art forms.
AR support
Access for all users
Direct chat with artist
Full details on artworks
Diverse artwork categories
For all users
Free second-hand trading
Artwork trading to help unwanted artworks regain value sustainably and discover unique pieces from individual collection.
AR support
Equal value trade
Access for all users
Direct chat with trader
Diverse artwork categories
research
Art market background
What today's offline & online artwork purchase is like?
Based on data from The New York Art Market Report, the predominant way of art acquisition occurs through offline channels. Conversely, online purchase channels are less frequently utilized, primarily limited to browsing only. More emerging niche forms artworks from young artists have not received enough attention from the art market.
Gen Z in Art market
Gen Z more active in the online art market
Gen Z honing in on "micro-investing in art", allocating small sums of money at a time. They're keen on engaging with online art markets that offer swift and convenient transactions, enabling them to buy, sell, and compare artworks with ease.
The rise of easily accessible social media platforms like Instagram, along with the advent of Online Viewing Rooms, has become intricately linked with the preferences and habits of Gen Z. The online art market is poised to offer emerging artists new avenues for exposure and contribute to the expanding phenomenon of art as an investment trend.
primary research
User interviews with both artist & art consumer to discover the problem
We interviewed 5+ artists and 5+ art consumers. To understand what they think about current art market, what they usually do, preferences, pain points in their primary needs in art market.
Artist
Art Consumer
artist pain points
Artist Key Insights
Insight 1
Young emerging artists struggle to gain exposure and promote artworks.
Insight 2
Limited support on fostering connection with art consumers.
Insight 3
Artists enjoy offline art events opportunities.
Insight 4
Artists also like browsing other artworks and artists.
art consumer pain points
Art Consumer Key Insights
Insight 1
Discovering ideal artworks across platforms is challenging and time-consuming.
Insight 2
Unwanted artworks often struggle to regain value in the art market.
Insight 3
Art consumers like to discover niche and special artworks as gift or for themselves.
Insight 4
Art consumers enjoy engaging with artists and art community.
secondary research
Competitor Analysis
Before diving into the design process, we conducted competitive analysis from both Apps and web platforms to learn the current art focused platforms, platforms people use to discover artworks and platforms artists use to promote artworks: what they are doing well or not well, and what features that they are lacking, what are some opportunities we have.
Persona
User Journey Map
The artist journey map is centered around the event experience, emphasizing their journey in discovering, participating in, and benefiting from art events through the Still Life App.
The art consumer journey map is focused on the art shopping experience, outlining their journey in exploring, selecting, and purchasing artwork seamlessly within the app, fostering a user-friendly and engaging platform for art enthusiasts.
artist opportunities
Design Opportunities for Artists
Opportunity 1
Exclusive artworks selling across various art forms.
Opportunity 2
Immersive art community artist can easily connect with art consumer both online and offline.
Opportunity 3
Exclusive offline opportunities for artists to gain extra exposure.
Opportunity 4
Full access to Stilllife experiences.
ART CONSUMER opportunities
Design Opportunities for Art Consumers
Opportunity 1
Chances to meet up with favorite artists and their artworks.
Opportunity 2
Immersive art community art consumers can easily connect with artists both online and offline.
Opportunity 3
Selected niche artworks in various forms at one centered place.
Opportunity 4
Sustainable art market that support free art trading.
ideation
brainstorming
Storyboard on different scenario with artist and art consumer
Founder and I brainstormed ideas together and settle down the main feature of Stilllife
Main Feature
Information Architecture
prototypes
sketch
Paper Wireframes
user testing
I conducted 1st user testing with artist and art consumer to collect user feedback
Testing Feedback
Bigger background photo for artist profile page, more introduction information.
Change collections to shopping cart, make shopping cart a floating icon.
Move collection to personal profile page.
Different design for user and artist profile page
Tag artist for more exposure in the search
Wireframe
Style Guide
Colors
Visual Brand
Typography
Icongraphy
takeaway
learnnings
What went well, what need improvement?
Still Life Art is a Gen Z pioneer App, and it held a lot of value for my age group, being able to explore what they pay most attention into and learn more about innovative thinking. This project has also given me a great opportunity to play with visual design and experiment on different style of colors to drive our users attention to use. We also did multiple iterations on the design, always focusing on the support and pain points that our user community really needs. Collaborating with the local art organization was also a new experience that not only allowed us to observe the workings of the art market and the latest art trends of the moment from a real-life perspective.
This project still able to flourish, I wish we have more time to ask and observe our user groups, understand what they thought about the project, and to improve it through their lenses. With the perfect location in NY, talking to more young emerging artists, step into their shoes. I also hope we have more possibility to work with the Still Life in the future, by focusing more on what other perspective we can support young emerging artists around the US, and launch the product for advanced usability testing and design scoop.
next steps
More usability testing and iterations on features exploration
Full launch with tech support in the future
