When it comes to art, you can always count me in. The free Art.com iPhone app is no exception.
For the do-it-yourself home decorator or the interior designer, this is a useful app for selecting, ordering, framing, and visualizing a piece of art in the space you are working with. The Art.com app is an extension of the website Art.com, hence the name. Though this app is designed for a niche market, I was impressed by the variety and enjoyed browsing through the posters and photography sections, imagining what the art might look like on my own walls.
The presentation layer of the Art.com app is simple and straightforward. Search by tag, title, or artist, or simply browse by category. Once into your search results or category, you will have the option of either grid view or coverflow to flick through the art. At the bottom, you can extend the category or search results to see more. You can view them either with a frame or without. Once you select a piece, simply tap the art to see the information.
My favorite part of the app is the “wall” option at the bottom of the interface on a selected piece. Tap this and you will be in the virtual “wall” visualization interface. Upload images of your own empty walls then, hang and size the art to your liking. It was fun to see my favorite pieces on the walls of my room. Save the pic of this scene for later, or share with your friends via email or Facebook.
When you are viewing some art, you can pinch to zoom to see the art up close, but the resolution is low and becomes pixelated quickly. The dragging and resizing functionality is a bit unintuitive for the common iOS user, but not altogether inexcusable. The one thing that is a bit deceptive about resizing a piece of art on your virtual wall is that you cannot buy the art in a custom size. Be sure to check the size of the piece if you are planning to buy.
Once you find a piece you like, tap “buy” and Art.com will take you to an in-app version of their website. Ideally, the app would launch Safari here, however they prefer their less functional in-app version. Here, you can order your art, choose a frame, and plan your delivery. Not bad for decorating the office from your iPhone.
Overall, the Art.com app is a formidable tool for decorating the home or office. Because of the limitations with the input gestures, I have to give Art.com 4 out of 5 bars. But hey, it’s a free app! Download and check it out.
