etegami

watercolor subscription service

Product Design / Service Design

etegami is a watercolor subscription service that offers users an artistic experience in their daily life. The entire system aims to builds users’ creative skills as well as the art community through Winsor & Newton and etegami users.

PROJECT PROMPT

Design a product/service for the royal art supplier

This is a 14-week class project targeting London based company Winsor & Newton. The company was established in 1832, and was granted its first Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria in 1841. Their watercolor and brushes are known for high quality worldwide.

MARKET RESEARCH

A new target user group for an art industry

Currently, most artists use digital tools for their job, so the traditional art supply market faces difficulties to grow their business. However, there is an emerging target user group that potentially expand this industry.

Millennials are the generation that enjoys new categories of art activities, such as sip-and-paint and adult coloring books. The survey reveals that this generation can enjoy the art process regardless of their skills. Also, they are using online services for more than decades, so they are good at adopting various services in their daily activities.

A new target user group for an art industry

Currently most artists use digital tools for theie job, so traditional art supply market faces difficulties to grow their business. However, there are an emarging target user group potenntially expand this industry.

Millennials are the generation that enjoys new categories of art activities that are recently emerging, such as sip-and-paint and adult coloring books. The survey reveals that this generation can enjoy the art process regardless of their skills. Also, they are using online services for more than decades, so they are good at adopting various services in their daily activities.

Expanding the potentials of the art industry with current market trends

Rising the Value of Experience

78% of Millennials want to pay for experience more than material goods. They are opting out of accumulating stuff and exploring experiences instead.

Recognizing Power of Analog Activities

Because target users become exhausted from digital activity, they think analog activities are good for their creative minds.

New Commerce Method: Personal Curation

Target users start feeling comfortable buying products that someone has curated for them, not chosen by themselves.

PROJECT STATEMENT

How might everyone get to enjoy artistic moments without formal training?

PRE-CONCEPT MOCKUPS

How Might We create a fun watercolor experience that offers artistic moments to non-artists?

VALUE PROPOSITION CANVAS

How to Increase Users' "Feeling of Accomplishment" and Reduce their "Fear of failures"?

Using Value Proposition Canvas, tried to clarify what are the Gain points / Pain points of the watercolor subscription service for non-artist users. Users want to have a feeling of accomplishment but have a fear of failures. So that the service should start from a very simple motif, and should offer step-by-step instructions.

User Testing

Conducted user testing with a mockup to check which process/access makes users positive and negative feelings though the experience of the opening packages to painting watercolor.

LOGO DESIGN

Artistic Elegance & Modern Cleanliness

The combination of heavy verticle lines with delicate finials represents watercolor brush stroke. Targeting millennial users, the logo aims to keep both elegances with modern feeling. Etegami (絵手紙) means "picture letter" in Japanese.

How to Use

1. Open the package

Peel the edge of the mail and get the contents inside

2. Scan QR code

Scan QR code on the example work and check the instructions for the material

3. Paint

Follow step-by-step video instructions and paint for 5 to 15 mins

SUSTAINABILITY

The materials are carefully selected to be sustainable for our environment

The materials are picked from consideration of a reasonable compromise between environmental protection and convenience.

APP DESIGN

Communal Space for Watercolor Learners

App is for etegami users to learn techniques, to create an art gallery, and to communicate with other users, aims to enhance watercolor learning experience.

BUSINESS MODEL

A community between Winsor & Newton, etegami users, and master artists

The business framework is not only for Winsor & Newton and the users, but includes expert artists. The artists can upload their works and tutorials to sell etegami users. It aims to build an art community that enhances the art experience for all.

Services Expansion Plan

First 3 months:

Users get the starter kits for the first month. It includes a brush, palette, paper, and tutorials of basic watercolor techniques. The first challenge is a simple motif for eliminating users mental barriers towards art.

3 - 6 month:

Giving users more freedom to choose a motif from the app. Users start comfortable towards art activities and encourage more challenge with fun.

6 - 10 month:

Giving more complex artwork with offering new tools, like a different size of the brushes, technicals pens, inks, and so on.

Future expansions

Collaborate with expert artists and build an online community among all artists regardless of their skills. The community
offers events, an online art gallery, and samples of new products to grow art enthusiasts.