24hdrop App

BRIEF – Let's break with elitist dynamics within the art market by building an app that makes the process of buying highly curated art more playful and inclusive.

PROJECT – The process of finding the right artist is time consuming and without existing relationship with a gallery, the most sought after artists are almost impossible to get. The aim of this project was to design an experience that solves this problem in a playful manner using a draw mechanic for weekly drops of artworks. The focus is on international emerging artists to give users a curated selection of the most exciting positions on the art market today. Once dropped, the users have 24 hours to decide if they want to buy the artwork or not. After 24 hours a raffle will decide who gets to buy the artwork. The product idea sparked after the founder successfully created an informal Instagram gallery featuring young Austrian artists and selling their artworks on a weekly base. The project quickly reached a solid follower base and validated through live-prototyping what would become 24hdrop. The product stream started by sketching out the information architecture and to translate features into early wireframes. Brand was delivered by OrtnerSchinko which was used to base the user interface in a consistent conceptual design language. By iterating through the user experience prototypes were used to communicate flows, micro animations and custom transitions to an external development agency.

TEAM – Founder, Brand Designer, External PM & Developer
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MINIMAL LOVABLE PRODUCT – An initial information architecture was needed in order to assess effort and cost in conversation with various development agencies. We sketched out flows for a maximum amount of features to then strip down the experience to the most essential views needed for a minimum lovable product. Wireframes helped to inform states, actions and contents to roughly communicate the initial estimation.

RESEARCH – At the start of the product stream research was already done through live-prototyping the essential idea – selling artworks of young Viennese artists periodically through an Instagram account. It quickly gained interest not just for buyers but also artists trying to build their reputation..

VISUAL LANGUAGE – 24 draws inspirations from 24h shops with their often bold DIY like aesthetics using eye-catcher red as primary color. More visual cues were borrowed from common retail experiences such as IKEA replicating their iconic price tag and using Verdana as primary typography across the interface.

USER EXPERIENCE – The aim was to contribute a piece of software that respects the art. A minimalist home view re-interpreting the white cube focusing on one artwork at a time. A full page scroll further allows a glimpse of drops there to come. The detail view showcases the painting itself with all essential attributes like an item of furniture, providing detail shots in a slide show and explaining text not just introducing the artist, but also why the works are chosen. Onboarding happens after the splash screen as well as during the flow, always accompanying the user’s actions explaining the mechanics and use of the app. Everyone can download the app and explore current drops, the long happens when committing to a raffle. This is the time when the user needs to provide personal details in order to take part in the draw through the preliminary checkout.

EDITORIALS – Building on the founder’s talent of being a cultural selector further focus on more detailed editorial work including various forms of media poses potential for future explorations.