The Digital Journey of ArtIstanbulArt
An online art store that feels more like walking through a gallery.
Project Overview
IstanbulArt is an online store for original paintings, prints, photography and sculpture. Buying art online usually feels like scrolling a catalogue, so the goal was to bring back some of the feeling of visiting a gallery: large, editorial imagery, curated collections and gentle motion, while keeping browsing and checkout simple.
My Role
UI/UX Designer on a client project, responsible for the desktop experience of the store.
- Designed the homepage, category and product detail pages
- Shaped the visual language: typography, colour and the signature blue accents
- Defined the motion moments that make browsing feel like a gallery visit
Design Approach
- Let the art lead: generous image areas and a quiet interface so the work, not the UI, gets the attention.
- Many ways in: people shop art very differently, so the homepage offers browsing by category, by price and by curated mood.
- Gallery-like rhythm: editorial sections and soft motion slow the pace down, the way a real exhibition does.
1. Browsing by budget, not just by category
- Problem: Visitors who are new to buying art often don't know styles or artists, but they do know what they want to spend.
- Decision: A "Shop by price" row with clear price ranges sits right on the homepage, next to category and curated entry points.
- Rationale: Starting from budget removes a common source of hesitation and gets people to relevant work faster.
2. Curated collections that feel personal
- Problem: A long grid of products makes every piece feel the same.
- Decision: Tabbed collections such as "Curator picks", "Hazy shades" and "Warm orange paintings" group works by mood and colour.
- Rationale: Curation adds a point of view, helps people discover pieces they wouldn't search for, and makes the store feel like a gallery rather than a catalogue.
3. A calm category page that stays easy to scan
- Problem: Art categories can hold hundreds of works, and heavy filtering panels compete with the images.
- Decision: Filters are compact dropdowns (Style, Color, Size) with removable chips, an in-stock toggle and a grid-density switch, while each card shows only title, artist, size and price.
- Rationale: Visitors can narrow down quickly without the interface getting in the way of the artwork.
4. A product page focused on the artwork
- Problem: Buyers need confidence about size, quality and authenticity before paying for a piece they can't see in person.
- Decision: The artwork takes the largest share of the page, with size options, stock status and price close together, and longer details tucked into description, features and reviews sections.
- Rationale: The page stays visual first while still answering the practical questions that lead to a purchase.
