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Water & Leaf | LB

An mobile-first e-commerce site for browsing and buying original watercolor art

Buying Art Online: Demystified

You’ve been to Home Goods, you’ve been to West Elm, and you’ve been to IKEA... You’ve been to ALL the nearby shops that sell art and nothing is calling to you. As unique as you are, you can’t quite get behind buying a mass produced print from a global conglomerate. So today, you’ll look online. Today, you’ll find original art for that empty wall in your foyer.  

But as you boot up your computer and start looking around, you feel nervous. if you can’t see it in person, how do you know how it will look in real life? How do you know if it’s a good deal or not? How do you know for sure that it is an authentic original, if you don’t know the artist and you haven’t see it for yourself in person? How do you choose?You’re an original, and you deserve an original artwork that shines just for you.

1.5 mo.
Designer, Owner

What’s the problem?

Buying an original piece of art for your home can be a scary process. Shopping online can be easier and more comfortable, but when it comes to original work, how do you know that you can trust it?

1. Value Assessment

It can be difficult to differentiate between original art and mass produced prints, to understand the value of each, and to know when prices are fair.

2. Trust and Authenticity

Can you trust the seller if you don’t know them personally? Will it look the same in person as it does online? How can you tell if it's an original artwork?

3. How to Choose

When there are so many options out there, how do people make decisions about what to buy? What do they (or should they) look for in botanical artwork? How do they know if it will fit in their space, and if it will retain it’s value over time? How does the artist and artwork speak to it’s viewers?

Lily Sun

Lily is a 28 year old Graphic Designer, living in Salt Lake City, UT. She’s been working at a boutique firm since college, but has recently decided to start her own business. She wants to host meetings in her home office, and hopes that original art will send a clear message to potential clients about her values. She is looking for unknown artists, because she wants to find a bargain and, as a creative, she trusts her own taste.

“I haven’t bought art before, but I know good work when I see it, and want to support unknown creatives - like me.”
Annie Martinez

Annie is a 45 year old Interior Decorator and mom of 2.  She is looking for artwork that she can recommend to her clients and showcase in her own home. She prides herself on discovering new artists with a clear story that she can get behind - and unreservedly pitch to her clientele.She needs to be able to visualize how pieces will look in specific spaces because when her clients need new work, they need it quick.

“I’ve built my professional reputation on authenticity and quality. I need art quick and with no surprises.”
Jonah Handel

Jonah is always either in their garden, on a hike, or teaching students about environmentalism at the local nature reserve. They are 55 years old, with a deep appreciation for the life cycles of the natural world, and specifically the optimism of botanicals. They connect emotionally with nature inspired art, value sustainable and handmade items, and want to know the inspiration and story behind each piece.

“Every flower in nature is unique - so I want my botanical art to be, too. I like to have exclusive access.”

Building Trust in Online Art Purchases

1. Demonstrate authenticity and quality
2. Visualize the artwork in your space so there are no surprises
3. Demonstrate financial value and security
4. Form a connection between the buyer, the art, and the artist

How do I know that I'm getting authentic, high-quality artwork?

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Authenticity Verification
A Certificate of Authenticity accompanies every piece, along with detailed artist attribution, creation date, and professional care instructions for preserving your artwork's value over time.

Visual Confidence
Examine each piece in detail through multiple high-quality images from different angles, with zoom functionality and the ability to compare. Each artwork is professionally photographed to showcase its texture and detail, complete with clear notes about paper type and dimensions for both the piece and framing options.

Quality Assurance

Your purchase is protected through professional packaging and shipping protocols, backed by a clear return policy and processed through our secure checkout with trusted payment methods.

Informed Decision-Making
Save your favorite pieces to a wishlist while you explore detailed artwork descriptions including symbolism and meaning, artist background and inspiration, or join our CSA Artwork Club for a curated collection experience.

Am I getting a good deal?

Purchase Support
Navigate confidently through our clear checkout process with order confirmation, multiple payment options, and expert consultation available through chat whenever you need it.

Customer Service Integration
Our expert support team is seamlessly integrated throughout your shopping experience, ready to answer questions about value and pricing, provide trusted guidance about authenticity, and help you through every step of your decision-making process.

Comparison Tool
Our comprehensive comparison tool serves multiple purposes by helping you understand pricing and value, building confidence through consistent quality standards across all artworks, and making it easier to compare different styles and artists side by side.

Make an Offer
Our bidding system lets you propose custom prices on artworks, creating a direct dialogue with artists. Set your budget and include a note about why the piece speaks to you - the artist will consider thoughtful offers - even if they're below listing price.

Will it work in my space?

Space Visualization
Visualize exactly how the artwork will fit in your space using our downloadable size reference tool or 'view in room' feature, with detailed dimensions for both framed and unframed options.

Detailed Product Pages
Each product page tells a complete story about the artwork through detailed information about materials, size, and craftsmanship, while providing artist background and process information that validates authenticity and helps you make confident decisions about your purchase.

Ask your Friends
With easy sharing capabilities, getting feedback from friends or family about artwork placement and style fit is simple. Share room visualizations and multiple artwork options to help make confident decisions.

Symbolic Alignment
Each flower carries deep symbolic meaning, from lilies representing purity and rebirth to peonies symbolizing prosperity and honor. Read about the symbolism behind each piece to find artwork that resonates with your personal journey or the message you want your space to convey.

Simple Information Architecture (IA)

Intuitive navigation enables users to seamlessly move between leisurely viewing artwork, comparing purchase options, and getting real time answers to questions about the artwork and how it might work with their space.

The site structure accommodates casual scrolling, active comparison, saving favorites, and learning more about the shop on an 'About' page that describes the store's origins, the painting process, and more about the artist.

What's unique about it?

The handmade art market (and specifically the botanical painting niche) is heavily saturated. This makes it difficult for buyers to find authentic, meaningful pieces and for artists to stand out. The simple UX functionality is based on extensive analysis of successful Etsy shops and art websites offering similar goods. Water and Leaf | LB addresses key market gaps with data-driven strategies.

Successful shops share critical elements that drive repeat visits, including high-resolution images, and fast shipping policies. However, the Etsy market caters to mass produced prints. Water and Leaf integrates these SEO and buyer-confidence based insights into a new platform that both showcases art and builds meaningful connections between the artist and collectors.

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Project Takeaways

Pattern Adaptation

Studying TikTok's familiar browsing pattern provided valuable insights for presenting Water & Leaf's artwork in an engaging, accessible way. By adapting this proven model to the art e-commerce context, users can intuitively navigate the platform and discover new pieces, reducing barriers to exploration and purchase.

SEO Insights

Etsy's strong SEO performance offered a compelling case study in optimizing for search visibility. Examining their unique approach highlighted strategies to organically attract traffic. Implementing Etsy-inspired SEO tactics will be crucial for Water & Leaf's discoverability and growth.

Balancing Dual Perspectives

Creating my own shop while designing the platform's UX presented both challenges and opportunities. As an artist, I gained firsthand understanding of creators' needs and pain points. As a UX designer, I could strategically address those needs with empathy-driven solutions. Navigating this duality deepened my knowledge of both perspectives.

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Next Steps

Responsive Development

With mobile browsing accounting for the majority of initial artwork encounters, prioritizing a seamless mobile experience is paramount. Conducting user research to identify top mobile pain points will guide targeted UX improvements. Insights from mobile iterations will then inform the desktop version's expanded feature set and layout optimization.

Animated Interactions

Integrating Lottie animations into key platform interactions, like the Daily Challenge and onboarding flow, will boost engagement and storytelling. Diving into animation to enhance Water & Leaf's brand persona through motion design will help differentiate the platform and forge memorable emotional connections with users.

Scrollytelling Optimization

Guided scrolling interactions immerse users in artwork narratives. Refining scroll-based exhibits to be more intuitive across devices will encourage deeper content exploration. Balancing these dynamic elements with fast-loading, accessible page structures is an ongoing priority.

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