Artverse

Bridging Gaps in Art Education

MY ROLE

User Research
Prototyping
Wireframing
Interaction Design
UI Design

TEAM

Mobei Qian
Monan Qian
Qianzi Wen
Sarath Chand Nekuri

TIMELINE

5 weeks

TOOLS

Figma
ShapesXR
Unity

Overview

Art education is essential for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and cultural awareness. However, the field faces significant challenges, both in terms of accessibility and engagement. Despite its importance, many people, especially younger generations, struggle to connect with and understand art.

ArtVerse is a VR museum that revolutionizes art education by making it accessible and interactive, breaking down barriers like cost and location to enhance global cultural appreciation. I was responsible for the interactive features, enhancing how people engage with the artworks and focusing on high-fidelity visual design.

Highlights

01 Author's Avatar

Meet artists' avatars, gaining insights into their creative process

02 Interactive Artwork

Explore art from all angles, fostering deeper understanding

03 Visit with Friends Online

Share tours with your friends for a collaborative experience

04 Build Your Personal Gallery

Curate your art collection, reflecting your unique tastes

Now, think back on the last time you went to a museum...

How did you feel after your visit?

“feel like you didn't understand most of the work?”
“feel exhausted?”
“want to go through some of the pieces again but...”
“are you able to visit it again anytime you want?”

Project Goal

Make learning about art more engaging, inclusive, and accessible through the power of virtual reality and digital technologies. By providing immersive experiences, we seek to break down traditional barriers and make art appreciation a captivating and enjoyable journey for all

Research

Through reviewing academic and industry literature on art education trends, digital engagement, and the impact of immersive technologies. We found that:

58% of millennials were unable to identify major artistic movements such as Impressionism, Cubism, or Surrealism. This indicates a substantial gap in basic art knowledge, which can impede the appreciation and understanding of art across generations.

Digital and virtual technologies are transforming educational experiences. A 2020 study from Stanford University found that VR can increase student engagement and retention by 30% compared to traditional methods.

Investigating the needs of target audience

Our approach began with user research, including interviews and surveys. We aimed to understand the barriers people face in accessing and appreciating art and how technology can help bridge these gaps.

We met with 5 art enthusiasts, students, and educators and surveyed 38 individuals to gain insights into their experiences and expectations surrounding art education and museum engagement

Key Takeaways

1) Time constraints, high costs, and limited access to museums are significant obstacles to engaging with art

2) Gaining deeper insights into artists' backgrounds can foster emotional resonance

3) People prefer learning about art in a fun and engaging way

So...

Problem Statement

How might we make art education more accessible, engaging, and inclusive for a diverse audience through digital and immersive technologies?

Ideation

User Flow

Visualizing Our Concepts

We started brainstorming sessions to generate a wide range of ideas and draw them down. From sketching low-fidelity concepts, mapping out the basic structure and user flow. From these sketches we moved to mid-fi screens, narrowing down the user interactions and core features.

Low-fi

Mid-fi

Let's Meet Artverse

Final Interactive Prototype

Click around the app ➡ here

Exploring Immersive Dimensions

Recognizing the importance of a truly immersive experience, we moved from 2D wireframes to 3D modeling and VR prototyping using ShapesXR. This shift was pivotal in capturing the spatial dynamics and interactivity required for a virtual museum setting.

Top Art pieces with description

My Gallery

Reflection

⭐Lessons I learned

Less is more
Leveraging Existing UI Resources
Storytelling Captures Attention
How to transition a Figma prototype to ShapesXR

🥳Aha!-moment and low point

During the ideation phase, we explored several concepts but struggled to find standout features. The breakthrough came with 'My Gallery' and 'Artist Avatar Introduction,' which instantly energized our team.
As we transitioned into prototyping, we aimed to create an immersive VR experience. Initially, we faced challenges using Unity due to time and resource limitations. Additionally, we faced numerous technical challenges, especially since this was our first VR project. Pivoting to ShapesXR was both a setback and a blessing. Witnessing 'My Gallery' in VR for the first time was incredibly rewarding, validating our vision and underscoring the potential of our project to transform art education and engagement.

✨Future Vision and Growth

We see our VR virtual museum project evolving into a leading platform in the digital art and museum space, continuously pushing the boundaries of how people experience art. We plan to utilize the latest VR and AR innovations to create immersive experiences and partner with renowned museums around the world to provide users with access to a wide range of artwork and artifacts.

Thank you! :)

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Mobei