AR NFT GALLERY

AR ART GALLERY

An Augmented Reality Experience Digital Art Gallery

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The AR Art Gallery is an innovative project that transforms digital art into an augmented reality (AR) experience. As the artist and designer, I aimed to create an immersive gallery where users can interact with digital artworks in their real-world environment using their mobile devices.

This project leverages AR technology to bridge the gap between digital and physical art spaces, offering a unique, engaging experience.

Role

UX/UI Designer and Digital Artist

Tools

Timeline

4 Weeks

Process

Research , Define, Ideate, Design, Test

AR ART GALLERY

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The AR Art Gallery project integrates augmented reality to showcase digital art in real-world environments.

Users can use their mobile OR tablet devices to view and interact with 3D artworks as if they were physically present. This immersive experience combines cutting-edge AR technology with a sleek, user-friendly interface, providing a new way to experience digital art.

PROBLEM

Traditional art galleries limit the interaction and accessibility of digital artworks, making it challenging for users to engage deeply with the art in a physical context.

SOLUTION

By leveraging AR technology, the AR Art Gallery allows users to interact with digital artworks in their own spaces, enhancing accessibility and engagement.

GOALS

Create an immersive AR experience for digital art, ensure seamless integration and intuitive navigation, to showcase digital art in an innovative 3D environment. Also to enhance user interaction and engagement with digital artworks.

RESEARCH

USER INTERVIEWS

I interviewed four users about their favorite AR apps, focusing on functionality, design, user interface, and enjoyment. They highlighted seamless navigation, intuitive controls, and visually appealing designs as key factors. These insights were crucial in shaping the AR Art Gallery project to ensure it meets user expectations and provides an engaging experience.

INSIGHT

To understand user preferences for the AR Art Gallery, I conducted user interviews through various outreach methods. The participants, as shown in the graphic on the right, included a diverse age group and gender mix. Their valuable feedback helped steer the project's direction, highlighting key areas for improvement and innovation. This data-driven approach ensured that the gallery would meet the needs and expectations of its users effectively.

DEFINE

USER PERSONA

During the design phase, I identified user frustrations and created a user persona and empathy map to understand their needs. This helped me step into their shoes, empathise with their struggles, and pinpoint areas for improvement, ultimately informing a user-centered design solution.

EMPATHY MAPPING

Creating the empathy map helped me in understanding user pain points, gain and desires, ensuring the design solutions were aligned with their expectations and enhancing overall user satisfaction with the AR gallery project.

IDEATION

SCENARIOS

The user story for the AR Art Gallery revolves around users wanting to seamlessly access, interact with, and enjoy digital artworks in their real-world environments using AR technology.

USER FLOW

Users embark on an immersive experience in the AR Art Gallery, tracing a path of discovery as they navigate and interact with the virtual space, with tailored interactions for each device type.

USER JOURNEY

As users step into the AR Art Gallery, they're transported to a world of creative expression. From initial curiosity to deep engagement, their journey unfolds through discovery, exploration, and interaction. With each step, they uncover new layers of meaning, forging a personal connection with the art and the artist behind it.

DESIGN

WIREFRAMES

The wireframes for the AR Art Gallery project outline the structure of the home screen, artwork selection, AR viewer, and interaction features. They ensure a clean, intuitive interface supporting both touch and mouse controls for a seamless user experience.

LOW-FIDELITY PROTOTYPE

Early in the AR Art Gallery project, low-fidelity prototypes were developed to outline the app's basic layout and functionality. The graphic on the right showcases these initial sketches and wireframes, which facilitated quick feedback and iterative improvements. This phase focused on core interactions and navigation, setting the stage for more detailed design and development.

VISUAL DESIGN PROCESS

STORYBOARD

The Art Gallery storyboarding was used to visualise the user's experience with the gallery. This process mapped out each interaction, from entering the gallery to engaging with 3D artworks, ensuring a seamless and immersive user journey.

SKETCHES

The figures below show the sketches of the Art Gallery building design, step by step, evolving into a 3D visual look. These sketches illustrate the progression from initial concepts to the final 3D model, highlighting the design process and refinement stages.

STYLE GUIDE

I established a style guide that aligns with the aesthetic of wood floors and open-roof exhibition spaces. The color palette reflects warm, natural tones, while the iconography maintains a clean and modern feel. This cohesive style guide ensures that every element of the gallery contributes to a seamless and visually appealing user experience.

COLOUR PALETTE

Principal Colours

Peach

#FFCEA8

Dark Grey

#262626

Ivory

#F7F0DE

Brown

#45413F

TYPOGRAPHY & ICONOGRAPHY

Font Family | Fibon Neue

3D Modeling The Gallery:

I've adapted and refined 3D toolsuch as Cinema 4D software and processes to cater specifically to the needs of visitors and users, ensuring an immersive and engaging experience.

Texture Mapping:

This figure shows the process of enhancing the Art Gallery visual in Adobe Dimension. Audience feedback highlighted the need for more realistic visuals to create a truly immersive AR experience. I'm committed to pushing the visual quality to make the gallery a standout and encourage repeat visits.

Coding in Aero:

Now that the scene is exported from Adobe Dimension as an Aero file, I can open it directly on the Aero desktop. From here, I can start coding, leveraging the Aero platform to add the necessary functionality and features to create an immersive augmented reality experience.

FINAL VISUAL DESIGN

USABILITY TESTING

As previously established, the Aero app serves as the platform for this immersive experience. The following photographs provide a step-by-step guide to the testing process.

PROTOTYPING

Now that everything is in place, the digital asset is ready to be added to the surface anchor of our choice. Once the application grants camera permission on the smartphone, it will automatically initiate a scan of the real-world environment's surface, allowing the user to select an anchor point to begin the experience, as illustrated below.

HIGH FIDELITY PROTOTYPE

The high-fidelity prototype represents a highly detailed and realistic simulation of the final AR experience. It is a refined and polished version of the project, where every aspect of the design, functionality, and user interaction has been carefully considered and implemented. By creating a high-fidelity prototype, I will be able to test and refine the project in a realistic and immersive environment, ensuring that the final product meets the highest standards of quality and user experience.

TEST

USER TESTING

Conducting user testing was a crucial step in perfecting our 3D art gallery experience. By observing users' interactions with the prototype, we gained valuable insights into how they navigated the space, identified areas of confusion, and gauged their overall level of engagement. I carefully examined user feedback to make targeted adjustments to the interaction design, ensuring that users could seamlessly explore artworks and that the experience was optimised for a range of devices. This iterative process not only confirmed the effectiveness of our design choices but also revealed opportunities for growth, ultimately leading to a more user-friendly final product.

REFLECTION

TAKEAWAYS & NEXT STEPS

Through the creation of my AR Art Gallery, a personal project as a digital artist, I learned the importance of pushing the boundaries of technology to bring my artistic vision to life. I experimented with augmented reality tools and techniques to create an immersive experience that allows viewers to engage with my art in a new and innovative way. I also developed my skills in UI/UX design, ensuring that the gallery's interface is intuitive and user-friendly. Moving forward, I plan to continue exploring the possibilities of AR in art, incorporating new features such as interactive elements and real-time generative art. I also aim to showcase my AR Art Gallery in various digital art platforms and exhibitions, sharing my unique perspective with a wider audience.