The art world largely exists in a way that feels inaccessible to those just beginning in their art creation and also to those that desire to purchase a collection of their own (or even a single piece of art). The greatest art movements often do not begin at the highest levels of wealth and status. Rather it begins within a community of artists, and grows by touching those that are moved by the creations.
For artists, exposure is important. Exposure allows their art to get noticed, their expression to be felt, their message to be heard, and for buyers to help sustain their production. New and upcoming artists may have a harder time finding exhibits or galleries to show their work resulting in less exposure compared to a well-known artist.
There is currently an untapped opportunity to bring artists together with an audience of potential buyers and admirers. Our app can bridge the current divide. Our app will provide a platform for artists to share their creations with receptive and prospective buyers, and it provides an easy, intuitive way for people to search, explore, find, and purchase art without having to navigate art exhibits or expensive studio showings.
The app is Artizin.
Artizin is a platform for artists and creatives to display and sell their work, and increase their exposure and influence. The platform also allows the artists to discuss their work, communicate with other artists, and connect with buyers.
The Artizin platform allows for the display and purchase of a wide range of creative types of work, and is not limited to just fine art. This broad selection of art forms increases the value of the platform both to artists, but also for the buyers.
Artizin uses AI technology to provide suggested recommendations for the buyer. The reinforcement learning technique employed within Artizin is a well established method for refining users preferences, and helping them locate a collection of art that matches their interests.
As the UX designer for the team, I helped formulate the concept behind Artizin and translated that vision into the Artizin app. We started with ideation sessions, where we explored the role that Artizin would play within the artists and creatives community. We then delved into the different personas and the interaction models that we wanted to establish between the artists and the broader user community. I then began building digital wireframes, mock-ups and sequence flows. My teammates and I iterated on the user experience until we all agreed that the app reflected the vision and mission of Artizin.
The Artizin UX included support for chat capability between artists, and support for posting topics, discussing trends in the artworld, and providing commentary on each other’s creations. The Artizin UX also encompasses the buyer environment, with guided, recommended search capability, establishing art preferences, managing favorites, conversing with the artist, and ,of course, a simplified purchasing flow.
Our small team was spread across many countries and timezones, so nearly our entire working engagement was done virtually. A couple of us were able to meet and spend a bit of time together, but the majority of our team sessions were done through video conferencing. In spite of the lack of in-person connections, we were able to create a strong bond and collaborative energy.
This was a wonderful experience for me to be able to work with a team on creating such a unique product. Working in a start-up has its challenges since we are a small group and not located near each other, but it has had many rewards as well. It was great to be able to watch the product grow, and come to life, and I have a real sense of pride in being the UX designer. Through this project, I improved my ability to express my ideas, accept critical feedback, and yet stay true to our stated vision. I am excited to work on more creative projects like this in the future.
