TOPCOAT
CATEGORY
UI UX
YEAR
December, 2020
CONCEPT
AR Interaction
OVERVIEW
Mobile AR model kit painting app for hobbyists and artists.
UI UX
December, 2020
AR Interaction
Mobile AR model kit painting app for hobbyists and artists.
Hobby enthusiasts who specialize in model kit building often require several paints to complete their models to satisfaction. However, acquiring all of these paints can be costly and they also many casual model kit builders do not know which paints to purchase. Also if the wrong paint is applied, it is difficult to erase the paint from the model and repaint it with the correct color scheme.
Topcoat offers a solution to model kit builders by being able to choose from a library of paints to use on their models in a digital, AR format. This way, the user does not have to physically purchase the paints and can test out different color schemes on their models without the hassle of high costs or going through the arduous process of erasing and repainting models in real time.
My own personal involvement in this hobby made it easier to gather research and empathy for fellow model-builders so I decided to cycle through my design process from that point.
- Research
- Interviews
- Empathy Mapping
- User Personas
- Journey Mapping
- User Flows
- Wireframes
- Ideation
- Paper Prototyping
- Final Prototypes
- Last Thoughts
Being a novice model kit builder myself, I was familiar with what model kit builders look for when choosing paints for their models. Experimentation is important when deciding which paints, where every detail is crucial and may require multiple test runs. With this in mind, I wanted to create a seamless and efficient painting process from color selection, to brush selection, and paint application.
The three main parts of the app for a methodical paint process is the model selection, paint selection, and paint application. I decided to streamline this process by making it very simple for the user to visit each app section while painting and make alterations if needed.
After logging in, the user has the choice to either continue working on a existing project, or start a new one. If they choose to start a new project, they must first scan the model using their device's camera so that an AR model can be built for the user to paint.
The apps color palette is always available to the user for viewing and selecting their desired paints. They can also choose to save their favorite paints for future use.
The bread and butter function of this app, this is where the AR magic happens and the user is able to operate their selected paints and scanned models to create a digital rendition of their expressive model design.
This screen allows the user to make certain adjustments to their paint, brush, and model settings. This is also where the user can save their projects to view or further develop in the upcoming future.
1. Need an option to select different brands of paint with special paint codes.
2. Social Media posting capabilities can lead to users using the app for tutorials guides or even have direct contact with the host.
3. More paint options including Patterning, Weathering, Rusting, Ect. would have to be included in the paint settings in future updates