All case studies5 min read
Product Design Case Study · MarketplaceSvapas — Where Art Finds Its Home
A dual-surface mobile marketplace connecting independent Indian artists with collectors and buyers.
RoleProduct Designer
PlatformMobile, Dual-Surface
MarketIndian Original Art
Ready for Developer Handoff
01 / 11
A Production-Ready Design for a Two-Sided Marketplace
One app that serves artists and buyers with equal depth.
21ScreensAcross 6 core sections, ready for developer handoff
10UX DecisionsEach tied to a real friction point in the Indian art market
6Core SectionsOrganised for first-time user navigation
Dark-Mode-First Design SystemBuilt so the artwork is always the hero on every screen.
Trust Built Into the FlowCertificates of authenticity, two-way reviews, transparent GST and in-app chat.
Indian Original Art Had No Safe Home Online
The market was scattered across Instagram, WhatsApp and generic marketplaces — none of them built for buying and selling art.
ArtistsNo focused place to list their work, prove it was real, and sell it.
BuyersNo way to check where a piece came from, trust the seller, or buy with confidence.
Both SidesNo proper channel to talk, negotiate and build a lasting relationship.
Two People With Very Different Needs, Sharing One App
The Artist — focused on creation and sales
The artist wants to list original work, prove it's authentic, and manage sales without hopping between chat apps and spreadsheets.
- List works with full details and provenance
- Certificates of authenticity
- Manage inventory and track sales
- Message buyers directly
The Buyer — focused on discovery and trust
1
Discover art by style
2
Save to wishlists
3
Transparent GST pricing
4
Multiple payment options including UPI
One app, two experiences.
Rather than bolt a "seller mode" onto a shopping app, Svapas is designed as two full experiences sharing one home. Every decision had to work for both at once.
21 Screens, 6 Sections a First-Time User Can Navigate
1
OnboardingA welcome flow that splits early into an artist path and a buyer path.
2
Home & DiscoveryPersonalised feeds plus search to explore trending art and new artists.
3
Artwork & CommerceArtwork pages, wishlists and a clear checkout.
4
Profiles & MessagingArtist and buyer profiles, plus in-app chat.
5
Artist ToolsAdd artworks, manage inventory, track sales.
6
Manage & SettingsNotifications, order history, account settings, admin dashboard.
Dark-Mode First, So the Art Commands Attention
A Gallery, Not a StorefrontA near-black background (#0D0D0D) lets the artwork be the brightest thing on screen — like walls in a real gallery.
One Warm AccentA single orange (#E85C1A) marks the thing to act on — usually the price or the main button — so the eye always knows where to go.
Trust Shown, Not ClaimedInstead of saying "we're safe," the design puts proof in the flow: authenticity certificates, reviews, and an upfront price breakdown.
Onboarding & Discovery
1
Splash — Screen 01A centred logo, a soft glow and the tagline — nothing else. The decision: a quiet entry keeps the focus on the art, not the interface.
2
Role Selection — Screen 03The buyer/artist choice comes before the sign-up fields. The decision: picking a role first shapes everything downstream — the tools, the dashboard and the feed all differ by role, so asking early avoids a generic experience.
3
Guest Home — Screen 04The art grid is visible but blurred behind a sign-in gate. The decision: a teaser they can almost see builds desire before the app asks them to make an account, which reduces people leaving on the first screen.
4
Search & Discover — Screen 06A style-first grid — Abstract, Portrait, Landscape, Digital, Sculpture, Photography — plus a trending-artists scroll. The decision: it helps buyers who don't yet know what they're looking for.
Artwork & Commerce
1
Artwork Detail — Screen 07A full-bleed image with the price in orange, and a sticky bottom bar so "Add to Cart" is always reachable. The decision: make the price the one obvious action without letting the interface fight the artwork.
2
Wishlist — Screen 08A two-column masonry "collection board" with filled heart icons. The decision: letting buyers build a collection they can look at grows attachment to the pieces before they buy.
3
Checkout — Screen 09Fully itemised — artwork + GST (18%) + free shipping = total — with Card, UPI and Bank Transfer options. The decision: Indian buyers are used to distrusting hidden fees, so showing the full math upfront is a trust signal that helps them finish the purchase.
Profiles & Communication
Artist ProfileA verified badge, star rating, a stats panel (Sold / Pro / Verified), a recent-works strip and a "Start a Conversation" button. The decision: a real profile and a direct line build a relationship, where a generic contact form wouldn't.
Two-Way ReviewsBuyers can be reviewed by artists, not just the other way around. The decision: when both sides can be rated, both sides behave better — a safer, more honest marketplace.
In-App ChatA full 1-on-1 thread with online status, with no jump out to WhatsApp. The decision: keeping the conversation inside the app leaves a record of the deal and keeps trust on the platform.
Three Things Tie the Whole Design Together
Trust ArchitectureCertificates of authenticity, two-way reviews, transparent GST and in-app chat combine to make every transaction feel safe for both parties.
Dual-Role DepthOne app serves two distinct users — artists get business tools and sales tracking; buyers get curated discovery and a collection experience.
Premium Aesthetics with a PurposeDark mode isn't just a style — it's what makes the artwork the visual hero on every screen.
Reasoned Against Real Journeys — Not Yet Tested With Real Users
The decisions here are reasoned against real user journeys, but they have not yet been tested with real artists and buyers. The natural next step is putting the onboarding and checkout flows in front of both user types to confirm the trust signals land as intended before build.
The next milestone
Validating trust signals with real users before build is the critical next step for Svapas.
User Interface
Selected screens from the 21-screen design system.
Like how I work? Let's build the next one.
You've just read how I think — the research, the trade-offs, the decisions I defended and the ones I'd make differently. I'm open to Lead and Senior Product Designer roles, remote, hybrid or in-office. Tell me what you're building and I'll tell you where I'd start.