Eclipse Sketch
app development
Goal
To create a sketching prompt ideation tool that helps users generate ideas, brainstorm and overcome creative blocks.
SKETCHING PROMPT
This project started out as a question between a colleague and I on how to create a simple solution for overcoming artists block. Our inspiration came from complaints from those in our field on being unsure where to start when sitting down to sketch. This idea morphed into an app as we developed our ideas further and further. With the endorsement from Advance Design Sketching, our app was able to reach creative minds from all over the globe.
My partner in crime is Adam Smith. His portfolio can be viewed here.
Who's using the app?
Eclipse Sketch targets not only designers, but also enthusiasts and those just starting out. This tool is great for warming up, whether you're in a brainstorming session, sketching, or simply have a creative block.
how does this app work?
Unlike other drawing prompt methods, Eclipse Sketch generates three words - a product, a context and a descriptor - to create a wide variety of unique concepts! Just tap the circle and prompt words are generated. Every time you tap the circle, a new set of words appear.
DESIGN PROCESS
Coming up with the idea!
App Canvas
Rough Wire Sketching
Conceptual Design Animations
HTML Prototype & Unity Build
Advanced Design Sketch Endorsement
Currently, working on new updates and features.
TARGET
Artists
Designers
Casual Users
characteristics
• generates drawing prompts
• sleek minimal UI (focus on the function)
• challenges you creativity, pushes user's
boundaries
• creates reference for artists
• usable anywhere (offline)
• good practice tool
Vision
• not only designers using this - open ended
to all types of artists
• app on market in a year
• social networking intergration/sister app
within 2 years
Problem
It is difficult to come up with drawing prompts on your own. There are prompt generators but they can get too specific. It is also hard to keep track of good prompts that you don't have time to draw in the moment.
Concept
An app that generates simple, minimalistic drawing prompts. The app also assists in keeping track of the user's drawings, and stores yet-to-be-drawn prompts.
Core functions
GENERATES PROMPTS
KEEPS TRACK OF DRAWINGS
Discovery
• sell to friends and peers
• social media
advertising (Instagram)
• discovery on app store
• forms (e.g. Reddit)
• portfolios
Discards
• inspiration sites such as Pinterest
• the need for coming up with prompts yourself
success factors
challenging • open-ended • simple
app canvas
The early stages of wire framing was very messy and most of the ideas weren’t implemented to the current model. We went through a repetitive and complicated process to find out what worked and what didn't. Even though this stage is tedious, it’s vital to the user experience and interaction of the final design.
wire framing
prototyping
Our vision was initially prototyped by creating all the assets in Photoshop and then putting them in Premiere Pro to see how all the main functions tie together. The final design ended up being slightly different from the animation shown here. There were features not implemented due to design changes.
Scroll down to interact with our first HTML model!
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DEVELOPMENT
The gallery above illustrates the progression made on our Unity platform. There was more iterations, features, colour schemes and user testing involved.
an ongoing project
Since our launch on the app store, we've been getting great feedback from our users. The plan moving forward is to update and add more features! Listed below are some potential features that may be implemented in the future. Stay tuned!
Queue
Lock-In Words
Timer
Personalization
Who else has been using Eclipse Sketch?
Find us on Instagram
Get the app!
Available on both Apple & Android platforms.
