Mondrian City Maps

In 2023, my brother asked me to design a city poster for his apartment in a Mondrian-inspired style. After seeing the final result, I decided to turn the concept into a digital business and entered the world of print-on-demand and eCommerce through Etsy, creating city posters from locations around the world.

Initially, each design was crafted manually using Illustrator and Photoshop. However, this approach proved difficult to scale. To solve this, I developed an automated design pipeline in Python, leveraging libraries such as OpenCV and Pillow. This system not only generated the core artwork but also produced all the necessary mockups for product listings, significantly streamlining the entire workflow.

Etsy served as the primary distribution channel, where the store generated its first sales. However, a lack of strategic focus at the time, particularly in areas such as SEO, positioning, and online visibility, ultimately led to the project being discontinued.

The most valuable outcome was the hands-on experience gained throughout the process. It provided deep insight into the challenges and needs that creators and businesses face when building and scaling online stores—especially in areas such as design automation, product creation, and brand development.