Art Pro Academy
A premier online platform for aspiring and established artists, offering a comprehensive range of resources and support to unleash creativity and elevate artistic skills.
Year
2023
Client
A Case Study for Google (Coursera)
Project Summary
Background
Art Pro Academy was born out of a need to fill a gap in the art education space for aspiring professional artists. Many artists face challenges finding comprehensive resources, mentorship, and business guidance, often struggling to turn their passion into a sustainable career.
The Outcome
The result is a dynamic, engaging platform that equips artists with the skills, knowledge, and support needed to elevate their artistic journey. This case study captures the challenges faced, the design decisions made, and how Art Pro Academy evolved into a valuable tool for artists aiming to thrive professionally.
The Solution
This project set out to create a user-centered platform that combines learning, mentorship, and business support in one place. Through a thoughtful UX design process—starting from user research and wireframing to prototyping and testing—the platform was designed to be both intuitive and inspiring, catering to the unique needs of emerging artists.
Project Overview
The Problem
Aspiring artists often face a big hurdle: the lack of proper guidance and resources to level up their skills. Art Pro Academy is designed to address this challenge by providing A tailored platform that empowers artists with essential skills, knowledge, and a supportive community.
My Role
UX designer designing an app for Art Pro Academy from conception to delivery.
The Goal
We aim to deliver an exceptional user experience on the Art Pro Academy website. Our goal is to offer a seamless and user-friendly platform where artists can book their preferred art courses and workshops. We cater to those seeking a hassle-free and convenient booking process, as well as those who desire more control over their learning journey.
Responsibilities
Conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
Motivation for the Project
The driving force behind creating Art Pro Academy was a desire to fill the gap in comprehensive resources for aspiring professional artists. As I immersed myself in the art world, I noticed how scattered educational materials were, and how difficult it was for artists to access mentorship, practical business advice, and structured learning resources in one place. Many talented artists struggle to turn their passion into a professional career due to the lack of tailored guidance and a supportive community.
With Art Pro Academy, I set out to create a user-centered platform that empowers artists with everything they need to succeed—whether it's learning new techniques, finding mentors, or honing their business skills.
My goal was to build a space that inspires creativity while also offering practical support to help users turn their artistic dreams into reality.
Process
Research and Ideation
I conducted interviews and created empathy maps to understand the users I’m designing for and their needs. A primary user group was identified through research. This group first consisted of aspiring professional artists looking to access high quality art tutorials.
This user group confirmed initial assumptions about Art Pro Academy customers, but research also revealed that tutorial quality was not the only factor creating frustration for users. Other user problems included a frustration with a lack of practical business advice for aspiring professional artists as well as a lack of communication forums.
To get an insight into the user experience, I mapped the user journey of what it is like to access high-quality art tutorials (Jane).
Problem statement:
Jane is a passionate artist who needs to access high quality art tutorials because she wants to start her own business as a digital artist.
Digital Wireframes 1
A card-based formatting design was chosen to simplify tutorial browsing. Users can select single or multiple tutorials and add to a cart (highlighted).
Development and Iteration
Paper Wirefames
Taking the time to draft iterations of each screen of the app on paper ensured that the elements that made it to digital wireframes would be well suited to address user pain points.
For the home screen, I prioritized the distinction between Traditional and Digital Art tutorial options.
Digital Wireframes 2
In these wireframes, it’s clear that the digital wireframes are building off and refining the paper wireframes that were created earlier. They also show simple, clearly defined elements and information architecture. Critical thinking has been applied to the hierarchy of information on each screen.
Mockups
Profile Function
A detailed user profile function was added to help refine the user experience. It allows users to express preferences and styles as well as upload their portfolio and artwork.
User Ratings
Data from the usability study highlighted the importance of ratings, reviews, and recommendations to assist them in selecting the appropriate art methods.
Decision-making support was provided in the form of user ratings for every tutorial.
Accessibility Considerations
Uses a high contrast ratio to ensure that it is sufficient for those with visual impairment such as colour blindness.
Used icons where appropriate to help make navigation easier.
Easy navigation and clear headings and labels to ensure users find exactly what they are looking for.
Key Takeaways
Impact
Art Pro Academy website offers a seamless and user-friendly platform where artists can book their preferred art courses and workshops. We have created a hassle-free and convenient booking process for those who desire more control over their learning journey.
What I Learned
After conducting thorough research and multiple iterations, I have gained valuable insight into the user experience of art education. We have combined creativity with functionality to empower aspiring artists with a platform that fosters growth, connection, and inspiration.
