Derek
張德文
Skit is a platform for aspiring and amateur artists to document their personal growth, build genuine connections, and provide constructive feedback to each other.
Skit is my senior thesis project at California College of the Arts. It was a two-semester project with an open topic. I challenged myself to design a digital product for artists around drawing and painting because that was my root of creativity. I focused on research in the first semester, concept developing in the second semester. The final design was exhibited at the CCA End of Year show 2022.
Artists in their growing phase find stress and anxiety on social media.
Despite providing publicity for established artists and inspiration for growing artists, social media only celebrates excellence. This leads to a mental entry barrier that stages growing artists as outsiders to the community. The unhealthy competition and promotion of singular aesthetics leave no room for aspiring/amateur artists to learn through exploration.
A platform that brings the experience of using and exchanging sketchbook into digital space.
Unlike the prevalent analogy of profile as your portfolio that only includes pretty works, Skit is a safe place for archiving everything you draw.
Exchanging studies and in-progress work is a great opportunity to be vulnerable, leading to mutually trusted connections.
Process-sharing creates the foundation for constructive feedback based on understanding a piece of work.
Understand artist’s needs, pain points, and opportunities
Clarify design intent, project scope, goals, and insights
Explore concepts and gather feedback from target audience
Create explainer video and other materials for exhibition
The first thing I did was a round of initial interviews. I reached out to artists at different professional levels to understand what digital tools or platforms they use in their creative process, how they feel about them, how that relates to their skill level, choice of media, and even their vision or motivation for doing art.
How might we channel the power of the online artist community to guide and encourage amateur and aspiring artists?
In the first round of low fidelity UI sketches. I focus on high-level product design. After going back and forth with my potential user I come up with the idea of integrating creative tools and an art meetup organizer as a way to meet new artists.
In the second round of prototyping, I create wireframes for the design and find that the micro-interaction of leaving a comment can be explored more. I focus on how to optimize it for visual art critique.
Before creating the final design, I created my own design system. This time the look and feel I'm aiming for is not to take attention away from the art works uploaded to the platform. I choose to go for as much neutral color as possible and be mindful when using a call to action and other attention-grabbing elements.
Skit is the capstone project that sums up everything I learned during my wonderful yet challenging four years at California College of the arts. I gave it my best, and I'm proud of the result.
However, there're still areas I could've done better.
