Artus.
an Innovative Win-Win Ecosystem connected
Local Business, Artists and Customers.
User Experience Design, Case Study
Project Background
Duration 2023.11-2023.12
Problem
Make living from original artworks is difficult for rising independent artists.
Making a living from original artworks is indeed a challenge for many rising independent artists. The art market is highly competitive, and independent creators often face barriers like lack of visibility, limited resources for marketing. The rise of online platforms has opened new opportunities, but it also means contending with oversaturation, where standing out requires both artistic talent and business savvy.
Interview
10 rising artists, 5 successful artists
Why the rising artists can’t make a living on their original artworks?
How do successful artists sell their artworks?
Finding
Traditional selling methods are inaccessible to emerging independent artists.
Traditionally, successful artists sell their artworks in the following ways, however, when I interviewed the rising artists, they provided with different difficulties in those methods.
Finding
Promotions on social media fail to convert followers into consumers.
Followers may appreciate the art, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are ready to purchase it. Factors like disposable income, perceived value, and the emotional connection to the artwork play crucial roles. Additionally, social media algorithms favor engagement over transactions, leading to "likes" without actual sales. Many artists find it hard to target the right audience or create a sense of urgency that pushes followers to become paying customers.
Finding
Local Community is a potential solution.
After interview professors in the Pratt Institute, and the artists who were already successful in the art field, tapping into the local community as a way to promote and sell artworks caught my eyes.
“Also, I don’t work much with social networks but I do work a lot of my local network.”
--- A Successful Installation Artist
Selling artwork locally is convenient for shipping. Also, it is easier for consumers to get a “preview” of the art before commitment. Many people in the community would like to support local artists.
Design Question
HMW help the rising independent artists to promote and sell their artworks locally?
User Research
Contextual Inquires, Social Listening
Contextual Inquires, Social Listening
10 local business, 7 art customers
What is “local network”?
How does it connect the artist and their customers?
What factors influence local customers' decision whether to purchase artworks?
Based on the previous interview findings, I conducted a case study research in my own community -- Pratt.
Finding
Local market exists but customers lack ways to connect with artists.
Through social listening, there is a large amount of potential customers of the artwork in the local community. However, most of them do not know where to buy the original artwork.
Finding
Local Businesses are perfect galleries where potential consumers directly meet rising artwork.
I conducted contextual inquires at surrounding cafe and local shops.
I found that
- For artists, a large number of potential consumers visit these local businesses such as cafes, drink shops, etc. Unused corners and walls in these shops can potentially work as exhibition spaces.
- For local businesses, their customers care about the appearances and vibes of the places. After interviewing 20 business owners, they are willing to provide free exhibition opportunities for the Pratt art students trading for better reputations and attractive interior decorations.
To sum up, displaying artwork at local businesses will be a win-win for both local businesses and artists.
Finding
Affordability and understanding of the artwork are key factors in purchase.
Affordable art merch is the more accessible first step among art consumers: I asked art consumers to provide images of the original artworks they purchased. Most of them are stickers, postcards, prints, jewelry, and sculptures.
Here're some quotes from the participates:
“Sticker price will not be much higher than the market, and the stickers is always cheaper than the other art products, and I can stick in my home and my laptop.”
--- An Artwork Customer
“I always believe that the story behind the artwork is important. I really enjoy hearing the artists sharing their process, showing how the artwork iterate from the initial sketch to the final present.”
--- An Artwork Customer
Understanding the stories and processes behind an art piece is the next step before buying original art: For those who purchased original artworks, more information was provided to help them appreciate it and, therefore, made up their mind to pay for it. On the other side, the artist need to tell their stories to the audience.
Ideation
Artists and Customers Meet at Local Business, Encounter, Explore, Learn, Purchase
Based on the understanding of the needs and mindsets of different players in the ecosystem, the solution arises at the intersection where their needs are met.
Service Blueprint
What we can do to create a bridge between them
To better understand the various layers of the interactions and the different touch points where the 3 main players interact through the solution, I created a service blueprint.
Storyboard
Design Challenge 1
AR Storytelling
Design Goals & User Goals
- Enable artists to easily capture their artwork in 3D/AR format and add personal stories or background details.
- Allow business owners to visualize and test how the artwork would look within their environment to make informed collaboration decisions.
- Provide customers with an immersive experience to explore and learn about the story behind each artwork, enhancing their connection before purchasing.
Comparative Analysis
Guided Scanning Process: Use visual cues such as arrows or grid overlays and offer real-time feedback to guide users as they scan objects from different angles, ensuring a complete and accurate capture.
AR Object Placement and Interaction: Allow users to select scanned models and place them within their surroundings, offering a realistic preview of how the objects would appear in real-world settings.
How users use their phones to scan the artwork:
Design Challenge 2
Print Showcards
Design Goal
-
Enable artists to swiftly create professional print materials aligned with industry best practices.
User Flow
Final Delivery
Scenario 1: Upload Artwork
Step1: Artist saw the artus poster, and decided to give a try. So she scan the QR code to upload her artworks.
Key features: 3D Capture covert to AR model, Multimedia submission of description and stories
Artist pinned behind stories to the artwork AR and checked the preview on the phone.
After uploading, artist added descriptions and way to publish.
Step 2: After that, artist saw the print options and decided to order some showcards to share her work with local cafes.
Key features: Design prints for artwork promotion, Order Prints
Scenario 2: Collaborate with Local Business
Step 1: Calyer’s cafe got the Showcard from zero7_7zero .
Key features: AR preview, Collaboration Request
Step 2: zero7_7zero received the collaborate request from Calyer’s cafe.
Key features: Request Email, Collaboration Schedule and Details
Scenario 3: Sell artwork to customer
Jamie saw the installation at the Calyer’s.
Key features: Overlay Information in AR, Order Artwor
Social Impact
This innovative model served dual purposes: it amplified the impact of emerging artists and advocated for a more inclusive perception of art.
By breaking away from traditional definitions, "ArtUs" allowed everyone to experience art in their unique way, everyone can regard it as a story, a room decoration, or an identification.
Through "ArtUs," I honed my ability to excavate the needs and mindsets of different players in an ecosystem and designed an environment conducive to change.
This project enhanced my skills in creating platforms where art consumers, artists, and their works intersect, reshaping perceptions of art and its place in our lives, to foster growth, inclusivity, and innovation.
