Real Not Real
Overview
This project is an eCommerce website for my sculptures and AI artwork. The sculptures are called Kodama, my take on tree spirits from Japanese Folklore. They are designed in Blender, 3D Printed, and then painted by myself and other artists. I paint each box and wrap the piece in gold silk.
My AI artwork is primarily hyper-realistic portraits of mystical creatures in human form.
Business Goal
The primary business goals are to increase revenue and raise brand awareness of Kodama sculptures and physical prints of AI artwork.
Design Problem
Customer
Customers need a way to purchase the sculptures and artwork prints online.
The small sculptures are priced higher than initially expected by most, so they need to understand the value of each piece.
When purchasing prints, the customer must know what to expect regarding framing and dimensions. Hanging artwork in your home or office needs to match the aesthetic.
Business
For operations (myself), I needed a system that makes it easy to manage and facilitate the sales of all these types of products. I also needed a way to sync products between Facebook, Instagram, and Etsy stores to increase sales channels while keeping product management scalable. Another requirement was integration with the on-demand printing service I use for the AI Artwork Prints.
Design Solution
Using Shopify's eCommerce platform solved my internal design problem and enabled me to resolve my customers' as well.
The customer solution came in the form of a website that provides an easy way to view available artwork and have a seamless checkout process. The UI itself is minimal, and the navigation is photo-based so that the focus stays on the artwork to convey the value and quality of each piece.
I photographed the sculptures and staged them to highlight each piece's uniqueness. The pages are entirely image to make the experience feel more immersive - as though the customer is looking at the piece in front of them even though they're looking at a screen. I'm currently experimenting with using a GIF of the piece being rotated in hand to provide scale. I included the artist's bio and photo for the collaborative editions to further convey the value and limited edition.
I designed the AI Artwork prints product page to make choosing a frame and size easy. As well as seeing a preview of each piece and its scale by hand size. In the future, I'd like each image to be a high-quality mockup. However, because of the many variations, I need to find a way to automate this.
Foundational Research
High-Level Operations Map
The operations map provides a streamlined overview of our eCommerce workflow. While the foundational aspects are straightforward, the challenge arose in integrating various components: on-demand printing, shipping, and synchronization between multiple sales platforms. Mapping out these operations and customer touchpoints was instrumental in developing an efficient system.
Research Goals
- Gain insight into operations and how the customer interacts with the product.
- Map out problems/pain points, and select a target moment to focus on.
Competitive Audit
The competitive audit began by investigating the sales techniques of competitors in two distinct markets: Art Toys for my Kodama Sculptures and physical prints for my AI artwork. This dual focus was essential for understanding each market's unique challenges and opportunities.
Research Goals
- To understand how Art Toys are sold online
- To understand how AI artwork prints are being sold online
- To identify market opportunities
Key Learnings
Complexity in Print Choices
Users are more likely to complete a purchase when the process of choosing frame size, color, and dimensions is streamlined and straightforward. Overwhelming options can lead to cart abandonment.
Importance of Social Engagement for Art Toys
Building hype through targeted social media campaigns and exclusive in-person events can significantly drive sales and enhance brand recognition for Art Toys.
Instagram as a Sales Platform for AI Art
Instagram is the primary marketplace for AI art, making it essential for any successful sales strategy. Effective integration with Instagram is pivotal for capturing the largest segment of the AI art market.
UI / Visual Design
UI & Artwork Vision
- Conveys the uniqueness of each Kodama and value of all pieces.
- Focus on product rather than UI driven experience.
- Product in photos are positioned according to layout.
Design System & Style Guide
A basic design system and style guide were created in Figma. The design system is heavily influenced by Figma's own system and utilizes variables.
