Sketch a' Scan
This design aimed to utilize AR technology to create a simple and efficient way for artists to scan
their physical sketches and experiment with their creations digitally.
Concepts
I often utilize digital applications when testing colors and ideas before I start on my physical art pieces. Even when I create digital art, I still begin with a sketchpad and a pencil to get my ideas started. This transition, however, from a physical sketch to a digital sketch, is a pain point in my own experience. I wanted to see if fellow artists also experienced these same issues.
User Research
User Description and Questions
I went through the process of interviewing Art Students, Art Professionals, and Art Hobbyists. I asked them several questions about their own design process to identify if they had similar experiences. The questions went as follows:
- What is your typical painting/artistic process? How much time do you spend planning before beginning to paint/draw?
- What is your usual process to determine your color pallets?
- Do you ever use technology to aid in your painting/drawing process?
Research Summary
In general, users were intrigued by this idea. Some users had a process similar to the app, however, in a disjointed way. Users described taking pictures of their art sketches and uploading them to a digital drawing app to test colors. Many also expressed trying to expedite the planning process or not spending much time in this phase when working on art. Individuals also mentioned that mockups often used a lot of expensive materials and this app could minimize the waste of art supplies.
User Testing
Scenario
Scan a Sketch is an AR app designed for use on an iPad. The premise of the app is to scan physical sketches and transform them into coloring pages so that users can test color pallets.
Task List
- Go through tutorial screen
- Change line width
- Change line variation
- Change colors of lines
- Use the orange Swatch
- Confirm your art piece
- Select the paint bucket tool
- Change color from black to a red color using the color wheel
- Fill in the sun
- Go to the image gallery
- Select the image of the sun set
- Select the Eyedropper tool
- Use the Eyedropper tool to select a dark brown color
- Choose the paint brush tool
- Color in the side of the larger mountain
Results
Listening to the users
During User Testing several issues with the application came up. These were my takeaway form the testing and the design improvements subsequently completed.
Takeaways
Selected tool on bar is hard to see. Causes users to be confused if they have a tool selected
Improvements
Increase the contrast of the active button type. Currently, a light taupe, might change to pink color.
software currently.
Issues closing popup windows on the color wheels.
Most users tapped outside of the box to close the color picker. Adjust setting on prototype to reflect this.
Squiggles on the mountain showing up the way they did was confusing
Be more specific in user testing when prompting the area on the mountain to be colored.